


Lottery

by holls



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Anal, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bottom Bucky Barnes, Bottom Steve Rogers, Boys Kissing, Enemies to Lovers, Falling In Love, Fluff, Hand Jobs, Kissing, M/M, Magic, Minor Character Death, Oral Sex, Orgasm, Polyamory, Royalty, Simultaneous Orgasm, Threesome - M/M/M, Top Steve Rogers, Top Tony Stark, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:27:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 67,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22108600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holls/pseuds/holls
Summary: King Anthony's thirty fifth birthday is approaching, and he must be married or risk losing his crown. Not into dating, he devises something else, though he isn't quite prepared when things don't go to plan.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 134
Kudos: 356





	1. The Idea

**Author's Note:**

> Tags/Characters added as they are revealed
> 
> Thanks again to my wonderful muse, Kaitlyn T.!

Tony’s fingers moved deftly as the man pursed his lips, holding in a deep breath he was barely aware of. His work was small and delicate, the tiny cogs and springs had to be placed just so or none of this was going to work. He was glad in that moment that he’d been blessed with steady hands, a gift which would have been more useful for a man that relied on his craft for survival, not for a man of his station. Something he’d been reminded of over the years since the death of his father, something he chose to ignore.

He couldn’t begin to count the hours he’d spent in his workshop today alone, much less over the span of his thirty four years of life. This was his sanctuary, the only place he could feel like himself, where he felt he had some real purpose. He knew where every nut and bolt was, everything had a place in the disarray that everyone else saw. He didn’t care, this was perfect to him, this was his place. 

Which was why he was so annoyed when the door opened without so much as a knock. 

“I suppose I don’t have to ask where you were, you’re right here. We were supposed to meet an hour ago!” 

“Hello, Uncle,” Tony said with a sigh, not looking up from his magnifying lens as he tweaked a gear. “Were we? I suppose the time slipped away. My greatest regrets.” 

“You know very well we were,” Tony’s uncle, Obadiah Stane, said with annoyance in his voice as he walked down the stairs to get a better look at whatever his nephew was up to. “What is that?” 

“And ruin the surprise? You’re going to have to see when everyone else does,” putting down his tweezers, Tony turned to look up, his eyes sore from hours of focusing. “What was it we were meeting for?”

“Your thirty fifth-“ 

“Not this again,” Tony moaned, leaning back in his chair and covering his eyes in an attempt to hide from his uncle and all the protocol and institution he’d dragged into the room with him. 

“Tony, this is serious,” Stane said sternly, not in the mood to babysit. 

“Everything with you is serious,” Tony didn’t budge in the least except to sink in his chair a bit. “Can’t we just ignore tradition? I mean, we got rid of killing a servant during the Night Sky Festival, surely we can get rid of this.”

“You have to get married anyway, you might as well do it before you turn thirty five and lose your crown,” Stane stepped closer to Tony, pulling his hand away from his left eye so he could look down into it. “Do you want to lose the throne? Don’t you want to be King?” 

“No, I don’t want to be, I keep telling you that,” Tony sat upright, his arms crossed over his chest as he shook his head. He hated the title, the job, the uncomfortable gold crown, and pretty much every other part of it. He liked when he got to throw parties, especially when some cute dignitaries from other kingdoms came, but those times were few and far between. “I would like to just be left alone to do what I want to do.” 

“I’m sorry, Tony, but that isn’t an option,” Stane reminded him as he sat down on another chair Tony kept nearby. “You forfeit and you lose your money, your resources, all of Iron Castle, including this room. So if you want to continue to waste your time, I suggest you hurry up and get married. I’ve already assembled the information on a few good matches for you.” 

“No, I’m not marrying some snob. It’s bad enough I have to spend my days surrounded by them,” Tony shook his head, not paying close enough attention to his uncle to notice the man tense up. “I want to marry someone nice. Someone that will want to do their own thing so I can do mine here. Maybe they can help Pepper run this place.” 

“Commoners have no idea how to behave like royalty, that’s absolutely out of the question,” Stane said, clearing his throat as he wondered how his sainted sister could produce such a challenging offspring. “I have four nobles selected for you to choose from, two men and two women, and you can pick one of them. They’ll have more of an idea of how to rule than someone off the streets.” 

“Pepper came from common blood and look at her. She manages all the staff here,” Tony pointed out, putting his feet up as if to enjoy the fact that his point was better than Stane’s. “She’s the one keeping this castle running.” 

“And half of her duties are things you should be doing yourself,” Stane fought every urge to push Tony’s feet off the table, more and more annoyed with his smart ass nephew. 

“But she does them better,” Tony replied, aware that he was getting under his uncle’s skin, hoping that he could push him to storming out that door so he could get back to work. 

“Because you don’t try, Anthony!” Stane finally snapped, his hand settled on his head as he tried to slow his heart and temper. “You treat this kingdom as your playground, and you need to stop. You’re not a child any longer, you have responsibilities and you must see them through. Do you think your father behaved like this when he was King? You may be too young to remember, but-“ 

“I remember my father’s rule, I wasn’t that young,” grumbled Tony as he picked up one of his tools, fidgeting with it in his hand. He remembered a lot about his father; mainly that he was relatively loved and admired by the public, and that there had been no major wars under his rule. King Roger was still regarded highly among the older population, while King Anthony wasn’t so adored. 

“Then you, of anyone, should know the value of a good king, of good leadership,” Stane shook his head, wanting to just throw his hands up in the air and leave. He’d been helping Tony’s rule since it began when he was thirteen, and not much had changed in that time. “You should want to be better than your father. And you can do that if you pick the right spouse and start doing the work that is yours.” 

“And yet here we are. I don’t want to be better, I want to be different, I want to be known for more than my tax rate and judgment on disputes,” Tony said as he tossed the tool in the air, flipping it around in the air as he caught it by the handle every time. 

“Different isn’t always good, Tony,” Stane sighed, having vented some of his anger so he was feeling a mix of disappointment and frustration instead. “And those things are important to a King.” 

“So is this, this is important to me,” Tony pointed to his work with the end of the tool before tossing it up again. “Making something the world hasn’t seen before, that’s what’s important to me. I want to be the king that ushers in the next great age, not the one that did the same old shit until I died.” 

“And having a spouse by your side could help that, Tony,” Stane said, some excitement in his voice as he realized he had an opportunity to push his agenda. “Why don’t you marry Victor Von Doom? He’s got lots of experience running his own kingdom, I’m sure he’d love to rule over both kingdoms while you work on your projects.” 

“Who is he in charge of again?” Tony asked, trying to think of what he’d heard attached to that name before. He’d been introduced to so many people in his life, it was hard to tell them apart without them standing in front of him. 

“Latveria, it’s to the North,” Stane smiled, hoping Tony would think over his proposal and see the benefits of it. “It’s not a large kingdom, mostly mountains, I believe.” 

“How does he expect to rule both kingdoms if his is way in the North?” raising an eyebrow, Tony leaned back in his chair, cocking his head to the right a little. 

“The same way you do, he’ll appoint people,” Stane said with a bit of a shrug. “You of anyone should know you don’t need to sit in the throne all day for things to get done.”   
“Yeah, I suppose…” Tony gently smacked the wood end of the tool against his palm as he thought about what his uncle was saying. It would be nice to have someone around that knew the ins and outs of ruling a kingdom. 

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll send for him, tell him to come for a visit to the Iron Castle,” Stane smiled, his chest puffing out as he watched as Tony actually seemed to listen to him for once. “He can get to know the place, get to know you, it’ll be perfect.” 

“Uh huh…” nodded Tony, though his mind was quickly drifting off of the topic and back to the project he’d been working on. “Say, why don’t we revisit this in the morning? I have some things to do, I can think about what you had to say, and we can figure it out from there. Sound good?” 

“That sounds fine. Are you actually going to sleep tonight?” Stane asked, feeling accomplished for the evening, even if he hadn’t gotten to some of his paperwork. 

“We’ll see about that,” Tony said, getting to his feet and pulling the magnifying lens over so it was above the small section he’d been tinkering with. His mind was so wrapped up with the new idea that occurred to him that he hadn’t noticed his uncle leaving. 

Nor did he see the smile on his face. 

“I see you finally decided to grace us with your presence,” Stane said as he finished his last bites of egg and bread, taking a drink of water from his cup. His eyes moved up to meet his nephew’s as the man came wandering in wearing the same clothes from yesterday. “Did you even leave the workshop?” 

“I did to come here, I think that’s the best we can hope for,” Tony said as he sat down at the head of the table, keeping his hands back and out of the way as the servants rushed to bring him his food. “I did do some thinking, though.” 

“Oh?” Stane rose his eyebrows, trying to ignore the happy little voice in his head cheering on his possible victory. 

“Yeah, I know what I’m going to do,” Tony nodded, taking a drink of the rich coffee they’d brought him. “You’re right, it would be stupid of me to lose the throne over something like this, so…I’m going to get married.” 

“Excellent! Were you thinking Von Doom? I can tell you about the others, but…” Stane laughed softly, the pressure lifting off his shoulders. “For what you want, he really is the best candidate.” 

“Nope,” Tony picked up a piece of fried meat, taking a bite of it. 

“No? So you do want me to show you the others.” 

“Nope.”

“So who the bloody hell…Pepper?” Stane tried, not sure of who managed to catch Tony’s eye enough for him to think marriage.

“No, not Pepper, she’s too intense,” Tony shook his head, eating some eggs and chewing slowly, watching his uncle’s expression as he drove the man insane. 

“Then who?” the little voice in his head was gone now. Stane was fully annoyed once more. 

“I don’t know yet,” Tony shrugged, picking up his coffee again, finding he needed that way more than he needed food. “We’ll find out in a couple weeks, I suppose.” 

“What the-“ Stane’s mouth opened, but no words came out as he struggled to express himself. “What are you talking about?” 

“The lottery,” Tony said matter of factly, finishing his drink and gesturing for another. 

“What lottery?” Stane said, not recognizing the voice that came out of his mouth. 

“The marriage lottery that our people are going to take place in,” eating some eggs, he pushed the rest around on his plate. “Every eligible household is getting a number, we pick a number, we have a spouse.” 

“But a commoner? What will they know about ruling?” Stane demanded, getting to his feet in a flash. 

“What did my mother know? What did you know before you came here?” Tony shrugged, taking the fresh coffee with a smile. 

“Your mother was an exception to the rule and you know it,” Stane said darkly, protective of the memory of his sister. 

“I’m giving someone else a chance to step up into the job,” Tony said with determination in his voice. “My father took a chance, and it paid off. I’m going to try to do the same.” 

“He didn’t randomly pick her,” Stane pointed out, pacing back and forth behind the chair he’d been sitting in. “You could be putting us in danger!” 

“I’m pretty sure Rhodey can look after anyone we pick up,” Tony sipped his coffee, looking thoughtful for a moment. “…and if it goes that badly, I can just pick one of your people. The North guy or something.” 

Stane stopped mid turn, looking back at Tony. “…you will?” 

“Sure, I mean, I need to be king if I’m going to lead people forward,” said Tony with a little shrug. “But I think the people will take me more seriously with one of them beside me.” 

“You could be right about that,” Stane wanted to sound like he was supporting the idea as he began to think of how he could unravel it before it began. 

“I think that was part of Father’s success, to be honest, it’s why I want to do it,” Tony pushed his plate away, taking a long sip of coffee. “I think this could change a lot.” 

“What needs changing?” Stane asked protectively. 

“I mean, things can always get better, can’t they?” Tony smiled, reaching forward to take a grape from a bowl. “I’m sure they’ll have some insight on what needs to be improved. They’ve lived the life, after all.” 

“Of course…” his chest aching more and more as Tony spoke, Stane slowly got back into the chair, placing his trembling hands on the table. Tony had really thought this through, and he was going to have to find the weaknesses in it fast. “Have you told anyone else?” 

“I wrote it all down and gave it to Pepper,” Tony pulled the bowl over, wanting more grapes. “I want this executed immediately. I want the people to get their numbers starting today so we can make the draw soon. I don’t want to wait.” 

“My gods…” Stane wondered if it was too early to start drinking wine. 

“I figure we can have the wedding in a month or so, lots of time before I turn thirty five,” Tony continued, popping another piece of fruit in his mouth. “It can’t possibly take that long to organize a wedding.” 

“Wine, now,” Stane said flatly to the servant behind him, who immediately rushed to fetch it. Turning back to Tony, he gave his nephew an annoyed look. “You can’t marry a stranger after a month.” 

“They won’t be a stranger by that point, I’ll have gotten to know them,” Tony smiled, amused by how bothered his uncle was by all this. He loved the man, he was like a father to Tony, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t fun to mess with. “I can court someone in a month, I’m sure people have done so in less time.” 

“That’s not the point, the point is that you could be bringing anyone into this household,” Stane was angry, and his wine wasn’t coming fast enough. “What you are doing is irresponsible!” 

“And yet here we are,” Tony ate one last grape before turning back to his coffee. “It doesn’t matter if they’re rich or poor, I’m bringing a stranger into the house either way. You may have researched these people you suggest, but they can hide intentions just as much as anyone else. Probably moreso. I don’t care if this impoverished person’s agenda is to just stay with me to be rich and live in luxury. I can handle not being loved for the right reasons.” 

“Can you really?” Stane questioned, leaning forward. “Do you want to spend your life with someone who only loves you for your money?” 

“So will your suggestions love me for me, or because I’m the king?” Tony shot back just as fast. “At least this way I’m pretty much guaranteed more honesty. I’ve socialized with the great courts of this land, and it’s pretty much a pit of vipers.” 

“You view things too negatively,” Stane chastised as he finally got his wine, wasting no time drinking it. “There are many good people in those courts.” 

“I’m sure that was true at one point, but they’ve camouflaged themselves too well, and there’s no telling them apart now,” Tony picked up his cup, getting to his feet as he took a drink. “I’m doing this, Uncle, and you’re not talking me out of it. You might as well help with the process.” 

“If you’re so determined…” Stane sighed, wondering if there was something stronger he could have. The wine wasn’t cutting it. “I will speak with Pepper and we’ll start the process to find your intended today.” 

“That’s just what I wanted to hear,” Tony beamed, looking triumphant as he looked at his uncle. “Now, make sure these lottery numbers are given to every eligible house in the kingdom. And make it exciting as possible. I want the draw for my new husband or wife to be the greatest spectacle our people have seen.” 

“They do watch executions, I don’t know if you can beat that,” Stane said dryly, not quite on board with paying for a virtual circus to appease his nephew. 

“Oh we will. I’m going to get the Wizard Strange to perform magic the likes of nothing they’ve ever seen,” Tony grinned, ideas pouring into his head. 

“I’m sure he’ll be very happy to use his powers to delight the poor,” Stane hoped he wasn’t going to be the one to go up into his tower to propose all of this to their court wizard. 

“It’s better than not using the powers at all,” Tony reasoned, ignoring his uncle’s sarcasm. “Call it practice.”

“More like a-“ Stane stopped himself before he could brush off Tony’s plans as a waste of time and energy. He may be his nephew, but he was still the King. “I think that’s…that should work.” 

“Perfect, let me know what he says,” Tony finished his coffee, plunking the cup down with a smile on his face. “Try to think up some more acts, maybe a short play, some musicians, something like that. Just get back to me on that.” 

“Me? Where are you going?” Stane just knew this was going to fall to him, and he was none too happy about it. 

“I have things to do in my workshop. Tell them to send more coffee to me in an hour, I’ll be busy until then,” Tony said, turning to wander out, though he paused at the door to turn back. “I want this lottery, everything about it, to bring joy. I don’t even want the people who lose to be sad. This is about hope, this is about bringing me closer to them and vice versa.” 

“I understand…” Stane forced a smile, standing to bow slightly, his hand still on the side of his cup. “I promise you, this will be something that none of them shall forget for a very long time.” 

“Good, perfect,” Tony nodded, putting his hands on his hips as he lost himself in thought for a moment, shaking his head to snap out of it. “This is the right thing to do, Uncle, I know it.” 

“If you know it, it must be true,” pushing the muscles in his cheek to pull back his lips further, Stane didn’t know if he was smiling or wincing. “Go to your work, Your Highness, and I’ll see to your vision with Pepper and your staff.” 

“Thank you,” Tony said, his shoulders relaxing now that he knew Stane was on his side. “Let me know how it goes.”

“Oh, I will,” Stane watched Tony leave, waiting a few seconds before his face relaxed, leaving him looking as stern as ever. Gripping his cup, he gritted his teeth, allowing himself a moment before he began to start planning all over again. This wasn’t the complete disaster he’d been dreading. This was just another beginning that he hadn’t thought of, but the end result was going to be exactly the same. 

Standing up, he finished his wine, leaving the cup behind him as he headed to his study. He had more potent alcohol there, and behind that door, he could be truly alone to plot. He was a smart man, he didn’t get caught when he poisoned King Roger, and he wasn’t about to be discovered now. Not when he was so close. 

One step at a time, however, starting with the letter he had to write.


	2. Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony does what he can to make a spectacle for his people.

“So how’s it going? Almost done?” 

“Are you joking?” Pepper said as Tony came waltzing in, thankfully enjoying a closer relationship with the King that allowed her to be casual with him. “Sire, this is insane, how am I supposed to do this in a month much less a week!”

“Just write out a bunch of numbers, hand them out, and then pull one from a hat,” Tony said matter of factly as he went to sit on the corner of the desk Pepper used, picking up a paper weight and tossing it from hand to hand. “I think you’re making this a lot more complicated than it needs to be.” 

“There’s a lot more to it than that,” Pepper pulled her papers away from Tony, turning her attention back to them. “For starters, we have to figure out how many families will be participating, which ones are eligible, which ones we definitely can’t include…”

“Aww, not letting everyone play?” cocking his head, Tony watched Pepper intently. 

“Sire, there are dangerous people out there, they can’t be allowed to come here,” Pepper insisted, letting out a long breath as she brought her hand up to her brow. “I haven’t even begun to ask you what criteria you want for a spouse.” 

“Uhm…I don’t know, older than twenty, I guess…not older than, say, forty five,” Tony shrugged, still playing with the paperweight. “Male, female, other…none of that bothers me. Neither does family background, or kingdom of origin. If their father or sister did something, I don’t want that held against them. It doesn’t really matter where they come from.” 

“Okay…” Pepper said as she jotted all of that down, wondering if she should put these stipulations on the tickets or not. She didn’t want someone thinking they could put forth their sixteen year old, and she really didn’t want to have to do all of this over again. 

“Uhm, what else? What else can we really put?” Tony asked, thinking that over, catching the colourful ball of glass. “We can’t really specify that they need to be nice, or generous, or anything like that. Anyone can say they’re those things anyway.” 

“I would imagine there’s going to be a fair amount of fraud surrounding this, sire, you are making a very large offer,” Pepper looked up at him, her pen still. “And I don’t mean just lying about traits. How do we make sure the tickets are one of a kind and not forgeries?” 

“Easy, write down the family name on a list along with their number,” Tony grinned, pointing down at her paper. “Write all this down, we don’t want to forget anything.” 

“Yes, Sire,” Pepper shook her head, wondering who she was going to have to recruit to help her with all of this. She still had the spectacle Tony had ordered to deal with. “You could make my day a lot easier and talk to the Wizard yourself. He’s not going to like me asking him to perform magic tricks on a stage. Last time he said that was beneath him.” 

“It probably is, but we don’t have a lesser wizard for these things,” Tony frowned for a moment, wondering if that was something they should invest in. He could convince Strange to take on an assistant; it wouldn’t hurt to have two magic wielders around. He’d have to have Pepper look into that when she was done with all this. “You’re getting paid double for this, by the way.”

“Joy,” Pepper said dryly, not looking up from the papers before her. “I appreciate it, Sire, I’m just very unsure of how I’m going to organize this so fast.”

“I wish I could tell you that you have months, but I kind of left this whole marriage business a little late. That’s on me,” Tony said with a tired sigh. “I don’t want to do this at all, but I’d rather do it with someone I have a chance of liking. Uncle Obadiah wants me to marry Von Doom from Latveria.”

“I’ve heard rumours about him but I don’t know how true they are,” Pepper looked troubled for a second, but she soon pushed them out of her head. Now that had definitely been too bold to say. “Excuse me, Sire, I shouldn’t be talking about another king in that way. I beg your forgiv-“

“What have you heard?” Tony asked as he leaned in, eyes wide and curious as he studied Pepper’s worried expression. “It’s just me, I’m not going to punish you for speaking. You’ve known me for how long, have I ever done that?”

“But this isn’t just being open with you, this is…this is a matter I have no business in,” Pepper tried to start working on her list again, but she kept looking up at Tony. “I shouldn’t…” 

“You should,” Tony said, reaching out to put his hand on her s to make her stop writing. “You have my word.” 

“I…” Pepper dropped her voice, looking around to make sure no one else had slipped in the room. “I’ve heard that people that go to Latveria have a habit of not coming back. And those that go to look for them suffer the same fate. It could just be a story to scare children, Sire, I wouldn’t say that’s the truth.” 

“Hm,” Tony thought for a moment, finally setting the paperweight back down in its spot. “That’s interesting.” 

“What should be interesting is this lottery and party,” Pepper tapped on the page where she’d jotted down some ideas from both of them. “We don’t have time to gossip. Now how much room will the winner need? We’ll have to have rooms set up for them and…family too?” 

“Family will be housed in the Upper East wing, but I want their quarters closer to mine,” Tony said without hesitation, he’d already been thinking about that. He didn’t mind if whomever won brought their family, he wanted them to be happy here. 

“Okay, that I can organize today at least,” Pepper sighed, adding it to the list. “You do know if this works, it’s going to be an absolute fluke.”

“Good, I love flukes. There’s something satisfying about them,” grinned Tony, giving Pepper a wink as she shook her head again. “This is going to go down in history. No one’s going to want to forget it.” 

“I wish I could forget it now,” Pepper put her elbows on the desk and leaned her head against her hands. “Can’t you go down in history for being the nicest king or something? Maybe the king with the most paintings, can’t I just find you some artists to do portraits? One for every outfit you own.” 

“No one remembers nice unless you have a grand gesture to prove it,” Tony pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest. “This is my grand gesture, so if my other great works don’t reach fruition, at least I’ll have this.” 

“Wonderful, Sire,” Pepper said, trying to put some emotion in those words so she didn’t sound so flat. She failed. “I suppose I should concentrate on the lottery first and then work on the party. And are you talking to Strange?” 

“Yes, I’m talking to Strange,” Tony mocked her lightly, grinning at the face she made back at him. “I promise, I’ll have him front and center, doing lots of tricks to impress both young and old.” 

“And you really think he’ll do it?” Pepper asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I know it,” Tony held his head high, looking about as kingly as he could manage. “I mean, how could he say no to me?” 

“No.” 

“No to which?” Tony asked, making a face as he tried to mask his annoyance. He’d come up the Wizard’s tower thinking this was going to be easy if he insisted, but now he knew why Pepper had given him the job. The only foot he put down was keeping Strange from slamming the door on him again, and it was really starting to hurt. 

“All of it,” Stephen Strange said back to him, his arms crossed over his amulet, looking unimpressed. “I’m not doing it.” 

“Please, just this once, and then I’ll hire someone else,” Tony pleaded, knowing he had to get on Strange’s good side if he was going to talk him into this. “I will hire you an assistant, and you can pick them. I won’t get in your way, I’ll just help however you want me to.” 

Strange paused, looking thoughtful for a second before he moved the door so it wasn’t pinning Tony’s foot so painfully. 

“Is that a yes?” Tony asked hopefully, hoping that was enough to get Strange on his side. 

“It’s a reprieve from foot pain, I’d imagine,” Strange said as he opened the door further to let the King into his sanctuary. “I’m telling you right now, I’m not making money rain from the sky or something. I don’t feel like causing a riot.”

“I’m thinking a fire display, what can you do in the lines of that?” Putting weight on his crushed foot, Tony made a face, leaning against the wall. 

“How about you let me come up with something that won’t burn down everything?” Strange said as he watched Tony examine the contents of a shelf beside his head. “I think I can come up with something…light and fun.” 

“You say those words as if they’re terrible,” Tony reached out, picking up a small blue bottle and examining it until Strange snatched it out of his hands. “Can I touch anything here?” 

“They’re not words I associate with my craft, Sire,” Strange said after a moment of thought to find the right words. “I’m a very dangerous sorcerer, not a street magician. I’m used to controlling time, not amusing children. This is entirely beneath me, and I’m going to remind you of that a lot.”

“Fair enough,” Tony nodded, figuring he could put up with that if it meant that Strange was going to participate. “Can I ask you something? Do you talk to other wizards?”

“What do you mean? Do we share spells or something?” Strange raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure what Tony was getting at. 

“You mentioned once there was a council you go to,” Tony said, crossing his arms to keep himself from fiddling with more of the little bottles. They had wisps of coloured smoke in them, and he couldn’t stop wondering what it was. 

“Yes, I do,” Strange nodded, still unclear. “Is this about the assistant?”

“No, but it can be after, first I just want to ask…” Tony bit his lip for a second before shaking his head. He’d wanted to ask what Strange knew about Latveria, but he didn’t want to admit to where he’d heard the dark rumour. He didn’t want to get Pepper into trouble. “No, it’s okay, don’t worry about it.”

“Are you sure?” Strange could see that something was bothering Tony, but he didn’t seem to be very forthright about it. 

“Are there bad wizards? Like from bad places?” Tony said finally, figuring that question was safe enough, and that Strange might inadvertently answer it. 

“I…” Strange gestured for Tony to come over to the two chairs sat before the fire. Sitting down in one, Strange waited for Tony before he began. “The world of magic isn’t so simple as good and bad. Things exist more on a spectrum. I am what you’d consider a good wizard, I imagine, but I have cast dark spells for what I thought was a good cause. And the most evil of us could cast spells of healing and life. In my heart, I hope my intentions make me benevolent. Because I know of wizards, ones that operate outside of the council, and frankly, they terrify me. I don’t want to be that.” 

“How do you keep yourself in check?” Tony asked, his voice quiet as he studied the wizard before him. Strange was reclusive, he didn’t get much opportunity to speak to him like this, and he was going to take advantage of it. 

“The council helps with that,” Strange replied, summoning two cups of tea for them with a wave of his hand. “And my own studies help as well. I remind myself of what exists out there in terms of magic, the sorcerers I have met that could tear reality apart. I embrace my fears so I will not forget, and that keeps me grounded.” 

“…I suppose I do kind of the same…” Tony admitted after taking a sip of the tea, the best he’d ever had. He’d have to come up here more if this was the level of hospitality. “The kings of old with their mass hangings and burnings, executing people just for not showing perfect loyalty. My father taught me those lessons so I wouldn’t be like that when I grew up.”

“And it worked,” Strange smiled over the lip of his cup, tipping it back to take a sip. “You are not that king, and I’m not that wizard.” 

“Then we’re both fortunate, and so are our people,” Tony said, leaning back in the chair further as he looked into the cup, wondering if the beverage was enchanted somehow. “This tea, is it magic?” 

“No, it’s just my own blend, it’s just brewed with magic,” Strange set his teacup down on the table beside him, tenting his fingers as he looked at Tony. “Now, about this magic display…”

“You’re sure you can’t go with fire? Fire’s impressive,” Tony nodded, finishing his tea and setting down the delicate china on his own table. 

“Entirely too much of the buildings around the castle are made with straw,” Strange said in a way that encouraged Tony to just drop the matter. “I can make light without heat.” 

“What can you do with that?” Tony asked, leaning forward a little. 

“Are we doing this in the great hall or in town?” Strange needed a bit more clarification before he could make any promises. 

“I think having them all here might be confusing, we can build a stage in the town square. Where the gallows used to be,” Tony suggested, wishing Pepper was here to write this down. He was going to have to go back to her office to let her know what he’d figured out with Strange. 

“Then I can do a display in the sky that won’t rain down and burn everything,” Strange refilled their teas as he picked his cup up again. “Is that satisfactory? I’ll make it look like the stars are coming to life to dance through the sky.”

“That is more than okay, that’s perfect!” Tony grinned, loving the mix of wonder and possible fear this was going to inspire in people. What mattered is that it gave them something to talk about on top of the upcoming wedding. “Can you make it a bit scary? I think people like a bit of a scare.” 

“I’m sure I can manage something,” Strange had to chuckle at that, he’d already been thinking about what he could do to thrill the crowd. This wasn’t his idea of a good way to spend his time, but if he was being dragged into it, he might as well have a good time. 

“So this apprentice I promised you…” Tony began, curious as to what that searching process would be like. “How are you going to find one?” 

“Leave it to me,” Strange said, the corner of his mouth tugging up a little at the thought of having someone to organize and clean up everything after him. He’d never trained someone before, but he was pretty sure he could handle it. 

Tony’s last stop of the day was to visit the man who took care of security for the kingdom. He didn’t talk to Nick Fury often, and he didn’t usually enjoy when he did, but he knew he had to be very involved in this, and he didn’t know if Pepper would have had time to come talk to him. Figuring he’d save her the trip, Tony walked up the tower to the ramparts above the gate, hoping Fury would be there as he usually was. 

“If it isn’t the man on the wall,” Tony said as he stepped into the light from the torches, smirking a bit as every soldier but Fury dropped into a bow. “At ease, I’m not here for an inspection or something. Go back to work.” 

“So what are you doing here yourself, Sire, if you don’t mind me asking?” Fury stood up from his seat on the cold stone, walking over to Tony. “It’s usually your Uncle I see if things aren’t going quite right. Is he well?” 

“He’s well, he’s fine,” Tony said with a nod, looking at Fury’s eyepatch, wondering just how that happened. He doubted he’d get an answer out of the man though. “I wanted to speak with you myself. I don’t know how much you know of my plans to marry.” 

“I know you’re bringing a stranger in here and making my life difficult,” grumbled Fury, staring Tony down with every ounce of frustration he was feeling. “I know you want a party to start this all off with.” 

“You’re correct, yes,” Tony nodded again, hating that Fury could still make him feel like a kid again. He felt like he was asking permission rather than giving an order. “I know you can handle this, or I wouldn’t be doing it.” 

“Oh we can handle it,” Fury said, his hands on his hips. “But it doesn’t mean we’ll enjoy ourselves.” 

“How does double pay sound?” Tony asked, hoping some bribery would lighten things up. 

“It sounds like a start,” replied Fury as he kept his poker face, not wanting to ruin the chance at a budget increase. “You know, the job would probably go a lot smoother with twenty more men and some better weapons. Maybe some armour.”

“…fine, it’s yours,” Tony sighed, knowing that he couldn’t have his special day without Fury and his soldiers. He’d just have to deal with the purse masters later and hope they still gave him enough for the celebrations. They weren’t going to be happy with him for approving things for everyone, especially when it was just for a night of fun. 

“And so are our services, Sire, for anything you need,” Fury grinned, finally giving Tony a little bow. Hopefully he could solve their boot shortage while they were at it, there were more than a few toes poking out here and there. Definitely not the image a king wants for the front line in his defense. “When you know more about what’s going on, let me know and I’ll be here to help.” 

“Is that your way of telling me to leave?” Tony asked flatly, raising an eyebrow as stared down Fury’s good eye. “I am your King, you know.”

“And I am your protector, and a very busy man,” Fury said, keeping his gaze unbroken. “Also, you like me.”

“I do no such thing,” Tony pursed his lips, fighting his facial muscles to keep them serious. 

“Uh huh, then why did you cave to my demands so quickly?” Fury pointed out, crossing his arms as he challenged the king, vaguely aware that some of his soldiers thought he was going to spend the night in jail for it.

“They were reasonable,” shrugged Tony casually, looking at Fury very matter of factly. 

“Will they be reasonable still if I hold out for new boots?” Nick queried, trying not to smile as he heard the whispers behind him. 

His eyes still meeting Fury’s, Tony did his best to stand tall, look regal, and be intimidating. Right until the moment he began to laugh. “…damn you.” 

“I’m still asking for those boots,” Fury chuckled, shaking his head as he went back over to his spot on the rampart. 

“I’ll see what I can do,” Tony shook his head as he turned to leave, knowing he still had a few more visits to make to get everyone on the same page. Pepper was going to love him for it. “I’ll be in touch.” 

“I’ll be here,” Fury waved, looking back out into the dark past the edges of the torchlight. 

“Where else would you be?” Tony laughed, heading back inside before he could hear the smart ass comment that would likely follow. That was two down, lots more to go, and time was running out. He still knew he was doing the right thing, even if things cost a bit more than he thought. He was helping a family, and it meant he didn’t have to marry some other money and power obsessed snob. Tony may not execute and torture his people, but that didn’t mean someone else wouldn’t.

And with that thought, Tony’s mind went back to Latveria, wondering just how much his uncle didn’t know about Victor Von Doom.


	3. Two Families

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two homes talk about the lottery and what it would mean for them.

“Mom, I’m home!” 

“Steven, come in, it’s pouring out there! You’ll catch your death of a cold!” Sarah Rogers said, setting down her spoon to throw a log on the fire and fetch a blanket. Helping her son strip out of his wet soldier’s uniform, she ushered him over to a chair to cover him up. 

“Thanks…” the young soldier, a man barely twenty one named Steve, said as he took the hot tea from his mother and watched her hang up his uniform to dry. “Sorry I was late, Sam and I were helping a woman with her shopping.”

“You two are so kind, she must have been pleased you were there,” Sarah picked her spoon up again, stirring the stew she made special for Steve earlier. “I made some of those biscuits you like, a nice lamb stew on a cold rainy day. You should have invited Sam over for supper.” 

“Thanks, Mom. I’m sure he would have loved that,” Steve said as he relaxed in front of the fire, holding his hands out to warm them up more. “I’d go find him but I’m not sure where he went.”

“That and you don’t want to go back out into the cold rain,” Sarah shook her head, going to make her son a cup of tea while the stew finished. “I still think about you getting sick every time it’s like this out. If it wasn’t for that wizard Erskine, I don’t think you’d still be here.”

“We’ll never know, will we?” sighed Steve, hating whenever his past health was brought up. It was so long ago, and he barely got ill now, so he preferred to not think about that night or the sacrifice made for him. 

“No, we won’t,” Sarah admitted, adding a splash of milk to the hot tea, bringing it over to her son with a smile. “How was your day aside from helping ladies with their shopping?”

“It was fine, we mostly played cards between patrols,” Steve took the tea with both hands, leaning back in his chair. “It’s not quite what I pictured when I signed up to the King’s service. I thought I’d be doing good, not breaking up bar fights and getting cats down from rooftops.” 

“You are doing good, my son,” Sarah said as she reached out to tousle his messy blond hair. “Bar fights can get bigger and very dangerous, you’re saving lives by ending them before they end in murder. And, as sure as I am that cats can get down on their own, you saved its owner from worry.” 

“The cats never seem happy about it,” chuckled Steve, recalling Mrs. Nelson’s tabby latching onto his face as he went down the ladder. “I think things will get busier with everything going on. There’s supposed to be a big celebration when they announce the winning family. I’m sure I’ll be needed for crowd control.” 

“Not if you’re up on that stage, you won’t,” Sarah said with confidence, her hand dropping to the slip of paper in her dress pocket. “It’ll be you needing protection.”

“I’m not going to win, Mom, there’s a one in a…I don’t know how many, but the odds aren’t good,” Steve said, though he regretted being so negative when he saw his mother’s shoulders fall a bit. Maybe he should just let her have this bit of hope, who was he to crush her dreams? “But…I mean, someone has to win, right? Why can’t it be us?” 

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Sarah perked up again, already picturing her son in expensive clothes, maybe with a fur lined blue cape to set off his eyes. “You’re such a handsome young man, I bet King Anthony would choose you if he got to know you. He’d see you as I do, I know he would, he’s a smart man.” 

“I’m sure if King Anthony met everyone one at a time in the kingdom, he wouldn’t be getting married in time,” Steve said, wondering if that rumour he’d heard about the King’s thirty fifth birthday coming up. “Do you really think he’s just desperate enough to marry anyone?” 

“I have no idea, but his father married a commoner, so it may be a family thing,” Sarah looked out the window at a couple hurrying past as the rain fell harder. “Though he met her out hunting when she was looking for mushrooms, that’s a much more conventional way to meet than the lottery.” 

“To be fair, that was kind of by chance too if you think about it,” Steve took a drink of tea, finally starting to warm up now. “She happened to go out that day, happened to be there at that moment…” 

“I suppose that’s true for all of us,” Sarah came over to the fire again, sitting in her chair for now. “But he’s promising marriage, not just a meeting.” 

“That’s where it’s definitely very different,” Steve agreed with a nod, looking up at his mother’s face and smiling a little. “If we win, I’ll mostly be happy that you’re going to be taken care of. I don’t want you to have to work hard in the fish market every day, I’d like you to have some time to yourself.” 

“Oh, I don’t know what I’d do with myself,” laughed Sarah as she shook her head, reaching into her pocket to take their ticket out. “Have you seen one?” 

“No, not yet,” Steve reached over as Sarah leaned out to pass it over, taking the slip of paper and examining it in the light of the fire. 

It wasn’t a big piece of paper, though it was a little thicker than the paper Steve was used to drawing on. On the left was the King’s official seal in red ink, the stamp pressed into it was a coat of arms with a helmet on the banner and the Stark name. Written onto the paper was the name ‘Rogers’ and the number on hundred and thirty in neat, flowing script. It wasn’t embossed in gold or decorated with intricate designs like Steve had been picturing, he’d already been wondering how easy it would be to forge them. He didn’t think anyone would go through all the trouble to make one of these for every number in their family’s name. 

“I’m kind of disappointed, I thought they’d be fancier,” Steve said as he held the ticket back out for his mother. “I suppose they’ll work though.” 

“They told me to be at the square when the number is announced though, they’ll move onto another number if someone doesn’t step forward then,” Sarah tucked the ticket back into her apron, patting it as if to secure it. “Not that I think either of are going to forget to go to that.” 

“I don’t think anyone in the whole kingdom is going to forget to go to that,” Steve laughed, shaking his head as he pictured in his head what he thought that night was going to look like. “I don’t think anyone’s going to be talking about anything else for a long time after. We don’t get many chances like this, and you can only sit in the pub for so long before you need something else to do. Too bad this doesn’t happen more often.” 

“I don’t think the royal treasurers would like that much,” Sarah chuckled, joining in on her son’s amusement by all this. She did like that she had something to look forward to besides work and cooking, life was going to be so boring when it was over. 

“Probably not. I wonder how much money they’re wasting away on this,” said Steve as he wondered what was going into this, both in terms of spending and people’s time. “There has to have been an easier way to pick a consort. What if our taxes go up because of this?” 

“I haven’t heard word of a tax increase, but you’re right, it’s possible,” Sarah mused, worried that they wouldn’t be able to handle another one. Things had been tight enough since her husband died, and even Steve’s wages didn’t cover enough. She had to hope that it wasn’t the case, she didn’t want to think of them ending up on the streets. 

“Don’t think about it too much, Mom,” Steve felt bad once again to have made his poor mother’s shoulders droop again. He knew how hard she was working to provide for them, and how guilty she felt when Steve had to give her everything he had. The last time she had to take the few coins he took to the pub with him for the week, she wept for the rest of the evening. 

“It’s hard not to, Steve,” Sarah wiped her eyes, getting up to set the table for the two of them. As always, she laid a glass of water and an empty bowl down at the head of the table where Joseph Rogers last sat ten years ago. It was her offering to him, a habit she had no intention of breaking. “You should be moving into a place of your own soon, you’re a grown man, and-“

“I’m staying here with you,” Steve said sternly, letting go of his chair at the table to go over and wrap his arms around his mother. “I don’t want you to be alone, you hate being alone.” 

“But you need to move on, you don’t need to be worrying about me,” Sarah sniffed, leaning into Steve’s strong, yet soft, embrace. “I want you to be able to get married, to have children if you wish.” 

“I can do all of that with you here,” Steve gave her a tight squeeze, wishing he could fix what his mother struggled to hold together. “I can do it even better with you here because you can be in your grandchildren’s lives. You’re not stopping me from doing anything, Mom.” 

“Then why are you alone? I thought you weren’t courting anyone because…” Sarah trailed off, not quite sure how to end that sentence. 

“I’m just not interested in anyone I know,” clarified Steve, hoping at least this laid some of his mother’s worries to rest. “I’m just happy to have my job, live with you, and hang out with Sam a few nights a week. I don’t want that to change right now.” 

“If you’re sure,” Sarah nodded a little, slowly letting go of her son so she could serve him his supper. “I just don’t want to hold you back.”

“I promise you, Mom, you’re not holding me back,” Steve reassured her as he went to take his seat at the table across from his mother. “I should invite Sam over for your stew one day, I’m sure he’s sick of whatever they’re serving in the barracks tonight.” 

“A soldier should be able to afford a small house of his own. I’m glad you’re not in that place, I can’t imagine it’s that clean,” Sarah set the bowl of stew in front of Steve along with a plate with a few biscuits. 

“Maybe whoever wins the lottery can talk to King Anthony and possibly get the taxes lowered,” Steve’s mouth watered as he waited to dig into his food, knowing he’d burn himself if he wasn’t patient. 

“They would know the plight of many of the commoners, I’m sure they would be able to tell King Anthony what it’s like to live here,” Sarah picked up a biscuit, wishing they had butter to go with it, but she only saved for that on Steve’s birthday. 

“They might not care once it doesn’t affect them, though,” Steve frowned, hoping that wasn’t going to be the case. “I hope the winner is someone that really deserves it. Someone like…” 

“Steve,” Sarah said sadly, reaching across the table to touch his hand. “He might win, you never know. You’re right though, he would deserve it, but so do you.”

“I-I don’t…” Steve shook his head, turning his attention to the biscuit in his hand that he’d just dunked in his stew. Blowing on the gravy to cool, he fought back his own guilt for the moment. 

“You didn’t mean to hurt him,” watching Steve, Sarah stirred her stew slowly to lower the temperature. “You loved him.” 

“But I did…” Steve said softly, setting down the biscuit as his chest ached from the years old pain. It had never healed, it was an open wound on his heart that he felt every day for the last six years. It only seemed to get worse, growing inside him, making him hate himself more and more. There was no relief, only hurt. “…and I still do.” 

“Fucking rain…fuck…” James ‘Bucky’ Barnes grumbled as he finished locking the goats in the pen in the yard, heading to the door with wet hair hanging in his face. Stepping inside, he walked past a couple of the other orphans to the fire, plunking down on the ground in front of it when he could get no closer. 

“Bucky, you should take your clothes off, they’re soaked,” Natasha Romanov chastised as her best friend and roommate came into the room and sat down. 

“Did you get the goats in?” Namor asked right after, not moving in his chair after an exhausting day fishing. 

“Yes, they’re in, and I’m fine,” Bucky replied, not looking back at them as he stared into the fire, holding his right hand up towards the flames to warm it. There was a twinge of cold in his left arm, the ghost of nerves that no longer existed, but there was no warming what wasn’t there. He just had to hope that a decent night’s sleep took care of the sensation. 

“You’re hardly fine, you look like you fell in the lake,” Natasha shook her head at her friend’s stubbornness, but there wasn’t much more she could do with a grown twenty year old. “Are you hungry? There’s some bread in the kitchen, I can get it for you.”

“…sure,” Bucky eventually agreed after a moment of silence. He didn’t like people fussing on him, his mother had done it a lot before her and his father were taken by the bloody lung long ago. His sister had managed to survive alongside him, but she was married now with a baby on the way. She’d offered to take Bucky in so he could move out of the situation he was in now, but he’d refused. He may be missing something, but it wasn’t his pride. 

“When do you think we’ll have another goat to slaughter? People are getting hungry around here, and they’re not pretty when they have empty bellies,” Natasha said as she got two pieces of bread for Bucky on a plate, looking around for anything else before giving up to go deliver it. “Sorry, I know you love those goats.” 

“You shouldn’t love the food, Barnes,” Namor said flatly, rolling his eyes at the thought of becoming attached to those stinking beasts outside. “Just milk it and kill it.” 

Bucky made a face at Namor, though he said nothing, still turned towards the fire. Picking up a piece of bread, he lifted it to his lips, pausing before taking a bite. It was good, but it wasn’t the same as a proper meal. Those were few and far between in their house, though, the majority of their money came from Namor’s fishing and whatever Natasha and Bucky could steal. The others did their best, but they weren’t as good at picking pockets. 

“Not all of us can be as cold as you, Namor, gods above…” Natasha frowned at the man before she sat down on the floor beside Bucky, watching him eat out of the corner of her eye.

“I’ll have a goat for you in a week,” Bucky said finally, a frown on his face as he thought about having to kill one of his little friends. Namor was right, though, they were food, and a lot of people were counting on him. “Just give him a week, I’ll fatten him up a bit more.” 

“That sounds fine, you’re the goat expert,” Natasha reached over to get a log, adding it to the fire before she turned back to Bucky. “Maybe we should wait, have a big meal the night of the lottery drawing.”

“Are you actually going to that?” Bucky raised an eyebrow, looking at Natasha as if she said she was going to get a position as the court jester. 

“I am, I mean, what else is there to do that night? Besides, it’ll be easy to steal in a crowd like that,” Natasha said with a laugh, though there was something she was holding back on. She knew she was going to have to say it before Namor piped up and dropped the news. 

“If you say so,” Bucky picked up his second piece of bread, taking a bite, looking at his visibly nervous friend. “…what is it? We’re not being kicked out, are we?” 

“No, nothing like that,” Natasha said quickly, looking over at Namor and mentally commanding him to stay quiet. “Bucky, I had an idea, and I don’t think you’re going to like it.” 

“I’m not liking this, that’s for sure,” Bucky said, furrowing his brow and setting his half piece of bread down. 

“Alright, but before you freak out, just listen to me,” Natasha said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a slip of paper. “I applied for a ticket.”

“Why would you do that?” Bucky sat up more, his plate almost sliding out of his lap as he stared at her with wide eyes. “Tasha, you’re wanted, you shouldn’t be going near guards or…you can’t stand on stage if you win, you’ll be recognized.”

“That’s why it’s not for me,” Natasha held up the ticket so Bucky could read it in the low light, the name ‘Barnes’ scrawled next to the number one hundred and thirty. 

“What??” Bucky’s plate went flying as he jumped to his feet, his jaw dropped as he shook his head. “What were you thinking?” 

“I’m thinking you’re not wanted, you’ve never been caught, you could win this and save us all,” Natasha said evenly and slowly, not reacting to Bucky’s outburst. “If you’re on the inside, if you have the King’s ear, then we can really help people. You can influence his policies, you can make positive change.” 

“Then why didn’t you pick Namor?” Bucky asked, not sure if he was more angry or uncomfortable 

“Because Namor’s not likeable and no one wants to marry him,” Natasha said with a shrug, looking over at Namor. “No offence, I love you, you’re just very abrasive.”

“None taken,” Namor said with a shrug of his own, leaning back in his seat. “Barnes is probably the better choice.” 

“I don’t see how I’m more likeable than Namor…” Bucky’s voice was weak, and he wished they had a bottle of something strong. The thought of being the King’s consort made him nauseous. He didn’t want to lie around in luxury all day, or have any social expectations on him. He wanted to be left alone with his goats. 

“Trust me, you’re the much better choice,” Natasha took Bucky’s hand, giving it a squeeze as she smiled at him. “King Anthony’s going to fall hard for you, I know it. You’re handsome when you clean yourself up, you’re nice when you try, and you’re smarter than anyone at that castle. You can fix this kingdom, you can be the ruler we’ve all needed.”

“Gods…” Bucky winced, letting out a long breath as he tried to wrap his mind around all of this. “I don’t know…” 

“It’s worth the chance, Bucky,” Natasha said, pleased that he hadn’t hit anything or thrown something at something else. This was going much better than it would have with Namor. 

“And what if he won’t change things? What if I’m just married to someone I hate forever?” Bucky asked next, looking genuinely sick at the thought of being touched by the King. He may be good looking, but he was rich and upper class, two things he abhorred. 

“We’ll get you out somehow, even if we have to run, I swear to you,” Natasha promised, bending down to clean up Bucky’s supper, handing it back to him as she stood. 

“You’re going to kidnap the consort of the King and think that you can get away with it?” Bucky said incredulously, shocked by the plan, or lack thereof. 

“Sure, why not?” Natasha beamed, determined to stay positive about this, even if it drove Bucky insane. “We’ve done big jobs before, this one’s just a little more complicated. We won’t let you down.” 

“Fuck…” Bucky slumped back to the floor, closing his eyes. “I’m fucked.” 

“You haven’t won yet, princess,” Namor said, ignoring the look Natasha was giving him. “Don’t worry about it until you have something to worry about.”

“Easy for you to say,” Bucky grumbled as he picked up his bread and took a bite, though the enjoyment was gone from his meal. 

“Namor’s actually right, let’s not worry about it until it comes up,” Natasha went back to her chair, giving Bucky a bit of space. “We could be freaking out over nothing.” 

“It might even be fun, you could enjoy yourself,” Namor added with a half smirk as Bucky turned to glare at him. “It’s possible.” 

“Not probable,” Bucky shot back, staring into the fire with a renewed vigor. He wasn’t angry with Natasha, he understood what she did and why she did it, but that didn’t mean he had to be happy about it. She knew he was going to be upset, she knew him too well to think that Bucky would take this lightly. But he could understand her desperation, he faced the same conditions she did, that they were all trapped in. If there was the possibility of ending that, he had to swallow his own emotions and do what needed to be done. 

If he had to marry King Anthony, he would do it. But he wasn’t going to like it.


	4. The Big Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The festivities are in full swing and Tony is ready to pick his spouse. Until it goes wrong.

The day of the draw had arrived, and the entire town square had been turned into a giant party for old and young alike. Musicians had been hired to play both on stage and around the edge of the crowd, and the King’s favourite acting troupe were brought in to amuse the people as well. There were trays of sweets and barrels of drink, and as the night began to fall, coloured lanterns were lit all over, bathing everyone in a rainbow of light. It had been the wizard Strange that brought the biggest show, however, managing to terrify most of the adults and delight all the children with balls of light that shot through the sky and turned into shapes above their heads. When it all ended with a giant, glittering butterfly exploding into thousands of tiny ones, the cheers from the crowd had been deafening. If Tony meant to win over his people with this spectacle, he would have done a good job. The grand finale, however, had yet to come. 

“Mom, I don’t think we need to be this close to the front…” Steve said as his mother guided him through the tightly packed crowd. 

“You may be tall, but I’m not,” Sarah replied, finally finding a spot just close enough to the stage to see what was going on, but far enough in case the crowd got rough. “This is good enough, we should be able to hear from here too.” 

“I’m sure it’s going to be dead silent when they read out that number,” Steve looked up at the stage, wondering if King Anthony himself was going to be there for the draw. He’d made an appearance at the beginning of the festivities from his balcony, and he’d watched most of the performances, but he’d disappeared after the wizard. 

“I don’t know what’s going to happen afterwards, though,” Sarah hoped this wasn’t going to spoil the rest of the day. 

“I’d say hopefully they’ll be too drunk to care, but there are a lot of violent drinkers out there,” Steve turned around, looking through the crowd for one particular face, though not wanting to find it at the same time. “Whatever happens, just hold on to me and don’t let go.” 

“You’re such a good son,” Sarah took Steve by the arm, smiling up at him. “I had a very nice time with you today, but you can go see Sam if you’d like. He’s probably not very happy that he had to work.” 

“I told him I’d cover his shift but he wasn’t hearing it,” Steve laughed, looking over to the pub at the edge of the square where Sam was leaning up against the wall. “I think he’s had a few drinks, I’m sure he’s fine. Besides, I came with you, I’m staying with you.” 

“Steve…” Sarah sighed, but she knew her son wasn’t going to budge on this. “I really hope you win this, you know. You’re such a talented artist, and if you had the money to buy proper supplies, I know you could make beautiful things. I want you to be able to flourish, not just live.” 

“I have to admit, it would be nice to have real paints and brushes,” Steve agreed, letting out a long, slow breath as he looked up at the green lantern hanging from the post beside him. “I’d like even more for you to not have to work.” 

“I’m going to admit, I’d like that too,” Sarah laughed, hugging Steve’s arm closer as a couple of people pushed past them. “It would be nice to not have to worry about you, too.” 

“Why do you worry about me? I just break up fights and catch thieves and that, and I have Sam in case someone tries something,” said Steve, frowning a little when he thought he saw something in the shadows of the alley near Sam. 

“I know, but I don’t like the thought of war breaking out and you having to go,” Sarah shook her head, looking at her son with worry in her eyes. “There have been so many rumours lately, and I can’t stand the thought of…why did you have to become a soldier? Why couldn’t you have become a baker?” 

“Because I’m terrible at making food,” Steve joked, though he could tell from his mother’s expression that she wasn’t amused. “Being a soldier meant I could make more money for us, and I want to help people. This is the best way to do it.” 

“You can find a better way, Steve, you can…what are you looking at?” Sarah asked, following Steve’s eyes over to the pub, spotting Sam. She hadn’t wanted to push things, but she was beginning to think there was a bit of a spark there. After years alone, she’d hoped Steve had found someone new to fill that hole in his heart. 

“I thought I saw something, it’s nothing,” Steve’s eyes scanned the mouth of the alley where he thought he saw what he was both looking for and avoiding. Frowning, he pushed it out of his mind as he turned back to the stage as the music started. 

“This is a waste of time,” Bucky grumbled as he leaned against the stone wall of the alley, taking a drink of beer as he waited for this draw to be over. 

“I don’t know, the lights were pretty nice,” Natasha said, sitting on top of an empty barrel, the ticket in her hands as she looked over at Bucky. “I know you’re not happy about this…”

“Not at all.” 

“But this really could mean something good for everyone if you influenced his policies, if you-‘ 

“Natasha, seriously, look at me,” Bucky said, standing up straight and taking a drink of beer, doing a slow turn around. “If I win, they’re just going to pick another number.” 

“I don’t know if they can do that,” Natasha interjected, pointing at her friend. “And you look fine, Bucky, you’re not a bad looking guy.” 

“I have one arm!” Bucky shot back, annoyance heavy in his voice. 

“Yeah, and it’s a good arm,” Natasha smiled, trying to give him some confidence, but knowing she wasn’t quite succeeding. “You’re able to do pretty much anything anyone else can do, you just do it different.” 

“It’s not doing things that I’m worried about,” Bucky leaned back against the wall, finishing off his beer and setting the cup on another barrel. “It’s how I look. I don’t look right, especially with my shirt off. It’s so…unbalanced, and…ugly.”

“You’re not ugly, Buck,” Natasha sighed, hating every time this came up. She hadn’t found the right thing to say to him yet, but she was still working on it. “You don’t know the King, maybe he wouldn’t care.” 

“So you think he’s just going to be fine with a big ugly scar and the complete lack of a limb? When he can have ANYONE?” Bucky pursed his lips, looking down at his feet as his anger simmered inside him. “No one’s going to want me, especially a king. We might as well just go home and listen to Namor tell us what a stupid plan it was in the first place.” 

“I am not giving Namor that much satisfaction,” laughed Natasha, shaking her head emphatically as she set her cup next to Bucky’s. “He’s bad enough when he just thinks he’s right.” 

“You don’t need to tell me….” Bucky rolled his eyes, having been on the business end of Namor’s smugness on more than one occasion. As much as he complained, however, Namor had saved him from a few fights he’d managed to get himself in. 

“I wonder how much longer the free food and drink will be around, that can’t possibly go on all night,” Natasha changed the subject, trying to get Bucky into a better mood. Maybe this hadn’t been the best plan for him, Natasha had hoped he would see it as more of a chance for change. Instead, Bucky seemed to just use it as another excuse to hate his appearance. 

“I don’t know, it looks like they went all out for this, why go cheap at the end of the night?” Bucky shrugged, wondering if he should get them each another beer, and maybe try to grab some more cake. “Just in case, we should pig out now.” 

“You’ve already pigged out today. And how are you still standing?” Natasha said teasingly, leaning back against the wall. “You’ve drunk so much beer and you’re still okay, I don’t know how that works.” 

“It fuels my hatred,” Bucky laughed, trying to make an angry face and failing. “At least it makes me not want to punch that stupid asshole in this perfect face for a few minutes.” 

“Just a few minutes?” Natasha grinned, raising an eyebrow. 

“Only a few, and I still want to kick him,” Bucky chuckled, his nervousness around the lottery eased for the moment. “I swear to the gods, if I ever see St-“

“Shh!” Natasha perked up, looking up as the musicians stopped playing on stage and more red and gold lanterns were lit. “It’s time!” 

“Are you really sure you want to do this? It’s not to late to back out,” Stane asked his nephew, straightening the dark blue robes he only brought out for special occasions. He figured today was as good a time as any to wear them, and he wasn’t alone in deciding to dress up for today. 

“I didn’t put this stupid thing on just to go home, Uncle,” Tony had been fussing with the elaborate red and gold suit, making a face in the mirror at the outfit. He preferred to walk around in simple black clothes most of the time. Now he was wearing what looked like ten pounds of shiny cloth with his oversized crown on his head. 

“I don’t know why you put it on at all,” Stane said, walking over to his nephew to put a hand on the puffy material covering his shoulder. “I mean it, you don’t have to do this.” 

“If I backed out now, the people would riot,” Tony pointed out as he smoothed his hand over his beard, wanting to look smart for the crowd. “And they’re all drunk, so it would be a messy riot with lots of vomit. I don’t want that in the history books under my name.” 

“If you say so,” Stane looked out from their tent at the back of the stage, gritting his teeth. He’d honestly been hoping it wouldn’t get this far, but that didn’t mean that he was giving up. Tony wasn’t married yet. 

“I think Dad would have approved of this,” Tony joined Stane, watching out and readying himself to go out there and choose his intended. “Maybe…right?” 

“Your father would have wanted you to marry for love,” Stane corrected him before he could stop himself. “Or to better the position of the Kingdom. Your father loved the crown and his people, he was a good king.” 

“We don’t know that I don’t love this person yet,” Tony pursed his lips, looking up at the silvery moon in the sky. He wished Strange had done more magic, he’d never seen anything as beautiful as the sky that night. 

“That’s very optimistic of you,” Stane kicked himself mentally for sounding too sour on the occasion. He’d had a few drinks, and it loosened his tongue. “Which is a good thing, you’re willing to keep an open mind.” 

“It’s always a possibility, right?” Tony laughed weakly, wondering if he should have listened to his uncle and just gone with an arranged marriage. He was starting to get more nervous now. This had the potential to be one of the best decisions he could have possibly made, but there was an equal chance that he was making a huge mistake. He had to hope that coming up with this was fate, that his judgment was sound. 

But it was still chance, and there was no predicting what was going to happen. 

“Sire, we’re ready for you now,” Pepper came into the tent, going right over to Tony to start adjusting his outfit, smoothing some areas and puffing up others. “Were you lying down in this?” 

“No, I sat down and crossed my arms, sorry,” Tony said meekly, not moving as Pepper fussed over him. He liked Pepper a lot, enough that their dynamic wasn’t nearly what it should be for a King and his assistant. He never felt the need to pull rank on her, especially when she was just looking out for him. 

“It’s okay, we just have to make you look less pressed,” Pepper said as she went around his back to fix his cape. “Are you nervous? Do you need a drink?” 

“What do you have that could make me forget the concept of chance?” Tony asked, letting out a long breath, not moving an inch otherwise. 

“The wine’s not going to do that, let me get you a whiskey,” Pepper hurried over to the refreshment area of the King’s personal tent, pouring him a glass with a couple shots in it. Bringing it back over, she handed Tony the glass before straightening his crown. “You’re going to do fine.” 

“I don’t think I talk to these people enough, I don’t think they like me,” Tony said weakly, looking at her imploringly. “Pepper…” 

“I’m not going out there for you,” Pepper said flatly, watching Tony toss back the whiskey in one gulp. “Sire, if I went out there, they’d only keep chanting to see you. I can’t do this job for you.” 

“I kind of thought you would say that,” Tony grumbled petulantly, wishing he could have more alcohol, though he knew that would probably only end up with him falling off the stage. 

“Pepper’s right, your people are expecting you,” Stane said, watching as the last of the lanterns were lit for Tony’s arrival. “Are you ready?” 

“As ready as I’m going to get,” Tony gave Pepper a weak smile, handing her the glass as he took a deep breath in. “Wish me luck.” 

“Good luck, but you don’t need it,” Pepper smiled back at him, hoping to instill some confidence in him, but as he walked past her, it didn’t look like it worked. “Good luck, sir.” 

“Thank you, Pepper,” Stane nodded at the woman, following his nephew out to the stage. 

As Tony walked through the rows of guards, he kept reminding himself to walk like his father had; slowly, elegantly, and with purpose. His head held high and cape flowing behind him, he emerged from the darkness into the bright light on the stage as the crowd before him began to clap and cheer. He knew they were only happy with him at that moment for what he’d provided for them that day, and he was content with that as long as no one started hurling produce or dead animals at him. Maybe this could be a new beginning for him, he could hold more parties and speak to the people more, and maybe then people would talk about him the way they did King Roger. 

“My people…” Tony began as the clamor began to die down, feeling a bit better that things were going well so far. “Welcome, all of you, to the first of many nights of festivities. Tonight has gone so well, I don’t see why we can’t do this more often.”

Pausing as the people began to cheer and sing again, the corners of his mouth tugging up in a smile as he heard his name. This was a real start, this was good, he really was going to start taking his position more seriously. Hopefully whoever was chosen would be supportive of Tony spending his time between being both a King and an inventor. 

“With my thirty fifth birthday approaching, I’m sure some of you know that it is also the deadline for me to find a husband or wife,” Tony began, feeling that it would be best to explain to everyone why he’d decided to do this. “I don’t have anyone in my life that I want to marry, but I do want to keep my crown, so I had to make a choice. And my choice was to wed one of my people, one of you, so that you may have representation in my house, so that I may learn from you as you learn from me. I wanted a spouse that would enrich me. But I don’t have time to meet each and every one of you to make my choice, so I brought to you my lottery. This is a fair and equal chance for all eligible families, regardless of position, appearance, anything that could influence my decision. I am letting fate choose my betrothed!” 

Tony had hoped that line would garner applause, and he was relieved when it did. He felt like he was starting to get the hang of this, he wondered why he’d been so scared to talk to them. They were perfectly fine when they were drunk, fed, and entertained. 

“And now, so you can all get back to drinking and having fun, let’s get this draw over with!” Tony gestured for Stane to step forward, a large bowl of paper scraps in his hands. “I’ll pull out one piece of paper and read out the number, and then I want the owner of the ticket to put up their hand and step forward. Just the winner, please, we’ll have lots of time to bring your family to the castle tonight.” 

“You should mention that the crowd needs to keep calm,” Stane whispered to Tony, adjusting the bowl in his hands, wondering just how big this headache was going to be. 

“Please, all of you, if your name isn’t called, stay calm and quiet,” Tony said, projecting his voice as he’d been coached many times in the past. “If everything goes smoothly, the wizard will come back out and do more magic.” 

Tony winced a little as he heard Strange swear from behind the stage area, but he hoped that it would work. He didn’t want to see anyone get hurt over this. He was just going to owe Strange big time, hoping he hadn’t bought himself a debt that he couldn’t repay. He would deal with that later, he had this to concentrate on for the moment. 

“And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for…” Tony announced, looking over at Stane with a smile, his heart pounding in his chest. “The family that will be joining me in the castle is…” 

Tony closed his eyes, reaching over to his Uncle, his fingers brushing the top of the bowl before he sunk his hand into the mess of tiny paper scraps. There were so many, and they were so delicate, they slipped through his fingers as he tried to grab just one. Drawing his hand back a moment to regroup and try again, he felt something stuck to the side of his index finger. Touching it with his thumb, he realized it was a single piece of paper. Grasping it, he opened his eyes as he drew his hand back, peeling the number off his finger as he looked down at it. 

“Number one hundred thirty. One three zero,” Tony said as he showed the number to Stane, who nodded to confirm it. “Step forward, one hundred thirty, and show us your ticket.” 

“Steve, we won! You won! Oh my god!” Sarah gushed excitedly, bursting into happy tears as she held up the ticket, waving it excitedly as her son stared forward in shocked silence. “Steve, come on, get up there!” 

“Y-yeah…” Steve took the ticket from her, taking her hand and walking towards the left side of the stage. His heart felt like it was going to burst in his chest as he made his way through the crowd, keeping his mother close. He’d won, he’d really won, he was going to marry the king. Oh gods, what if he didn’t like him? 

“One thirty! One hundred thirty! That’s us! That’s us, Bucky! Holy shit, get up there!” Natasha shoved the ticket into Bucky’s hand, a huge smile on her face as she gave him a push towards the stage. 

“O-okay…” Bucky said weakly, turning to half walk, half stumble towards the side of the stage, looking back over his shoulder every few seconds to make sure she was still watching him. 

Laughing into her hands, Natasha watched as a stunned Bucky made his way over to the stairs, looking both confused and terrified. Bucky could do this, he could really make their lives better, she believed in him like no one else. She couldn’t wait to tell Namor that their plan actually worked, that they’d gotten Bucky into that castle. It was only a matter of time before Bucky let the king know how things really were for his citizens. 

Bucky felt like he couldn’t breathe by the time he got to the right edge of the stage. Looking up at King Anthony in all his splendor, he clutched the ticket tighter as he tried not to give in to his panic. Licking his lips, he took a deep breath and held up his ticket to a guard, who examined it before taking Bucky by the arm to escort him over to the King and his Uncle. 

Though as soon as he was on the stage, he realized he wasn’t alone. Looking over to the other side, he saw Steve and his mother being led up the other stairs. All of a sudden, anger was flaring inside him, and it took everything he had to not go push Steve back into the crowd. The only thing stopping him was knowing that King Anthony was right there, and he didn’t want to start their relationship with the King thinking he was a lunatic. 

“Okay, there’s…there’s an extra person,” Tony said after a moment of everyone looking around confused. “What’s going on?” \

“He showed me his ticket, one hundred thirty, sire,” said the guard next to Bucky, holding the piece of paper out to Stane to examine. 

“That’s impossible, this ticket says one hundred thirty!” the other guard looked at the ticket, frowning at it before holding it out as well. “There seems to be a mix up, sire.” 

“Just a bit of one…” Tony said, snatching both pieces of paper to look them over, checking his seal to see which one was counterfeit. They both appeared fine, though, completely official in every way. Taking a deep breath in, he looked at his uncle for a moment as if expecting to be told that this was a stupid idea. 

“We need to settle this,” Stane said instead, looking over at Pepper in the corner who looked completely confused. “And not in front of the general public.” 

“You’re right,” Tony pursed his lips, closing his hand around the tickets before pointing at Steve and Bucky. “You and you. My tent. Now.”


	5. Getting To Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony meets both of his potential spouses just in time to find out why there was two of them.

“What the FUCK is going on here?” 

“I don’t know. I don’t know,” As soon as they got in the tent, Pepper hurried over to the books of records she’d brought just in case, her heart hammering hard in her chest. She was almost certain Tony wasn’t going to kill her for this, but he most definitely didn’t sound happy. 

“How could this happen? I thought this was simple,” Stane walked past his nephew, who was standing with his hands on his hips facing the two peasant men. “I’m sure whatever happened, it can be sorted. Both of these men can’t possible win, this wasn’t that kind of lottery. You couldn’t split a marriage. 

“I don’t know…” Pepper began to open books frantically, trying to ignore Tony pacing behind her. The last thing she wanted to do was let him down. “I will get to the bottom of this, I promise you, just give me some time.”

“We can do that…” Tony said, his voice relaxing a bit as he looked at the two men standing before him. They were both certainly handsome and strong looking, he wasn’t going to have an ugly spouse, that was for sure. He noticed the one seemed to be missing an arm, though he was more curious as to how that happened than bothered by it. 

“I knew this wasn’t a good idea,” Stane muttered as he went to take a seat, rubbing his brow. 

“It’s still a good idea, there was just a little mistake, not a big deal,” Tony said as he walked over to Pepper, putting a hand on her shoulder until he felt her relax a bit. “Take your time, I’m sure we can find something to talk about. You, what’s your name?” 

“Steven Rogers,” Steve replied as Tony pointed to him, not sure if he should bow or nod his head, instead going with an awkward version of the two. 

“James Barnes,” Bucky said softly, though he didn’t move. He looked more uncomfortable than anything, not sure what to do with his hand until he put it behind him. “…Bucky Barnes.” 

“Nice to meet you, Steven, and…James or Bucky,” Tony could tell the second man was bothered by something, but he didn’t want to pry. Maybe he was just shy. “What is it you do?” 

“I’m a soldier,” Steve said with some pride in his voice. It was a good position and well respected in the community. 

“I have goats,” Bucky answered next, not sounding quite so happy about it as Steve had. 

“Goats are important,” Tony nodded, trying not to stare at where Bucky’s arm should be. He hated his curious nature, and he knew it probably would have gotten him punched out by now had he not been in charge. 

“They are,” Steve echoed, looking over at Bucky, who was purposely not looking back at him. 

“So…do you have big families?” Tony asked next, not entirely sure how to make conversation with these people. This was very different than in court.

“…your majesty…” Steve began with a shaking voice, not sure if he was in any position to approach the King. “I have a mother, but that’s not who I want to talk to you about.”

“You don’t have to call me that. Sire is fine,” Tony replied, a little amusement on his face. Were they going to start debating for the position? He could get behind that. “Who do you want to discuss then?” 

“Sire…” Steve took a deep breath, chancing a look over at Bucky. He wanted to give him this more than anything, but the thought of his mother having to work until she was dead popped into his head. He didn’t want to do that to her either. “I think Bucky needs this more than me, but…I can’t drop out of the running. I need to look after my mother.” 

“So you don’t want to lose, but you want Bucky to win?” Tony repeated to see if he had that right, crossing his arms over his chest. “What do you want, Bucky?” 

“…I have no idea, to be honest, sire,” Bucky said in a whisper after a few seconds of being put on the spot. “I don’t have a family, just me and some friends live together, and…I do my best. I didn’t even buy the ticket, my friend did. I just-” 

“Sire, I know what happened!” Pepper interjected, rushing over with two books clutched to her chest, somehow looking more stressed out. “Higgins was supposed to sell tickets eighty to one hundred twenty nine. He accidentally skipped ninety, I can see where he made the mistake in his book, and he had the extra ticket at the end so he assumed it was for one hundred thirty. So one of these men got their ticket from Higgins, and one did from Henry.”

“So which one’s real?” Tony asked her, holding his hand out to take the books from her to examine them himself. 

“My mother bought the ticket, I can get her to clear up who sold it to her,” Steve offered, figuring that would be the easiest way to clear things up. He wished he could just give this to Bucky, he would if it wasn’t for his mother. 

“That sounds fair,” Stane nodded, looking over Tony’s shoulder at the books, glad that it looked like this was being taken care of easily enough. 

“…you know what?” Tony said after a moment, closing the book and handing it back over to Pepper. “Good detective work, Pepper, but both of these people got their tickets fair and square. It’s not right to deny one just because the ticket seller made a mistake. I’m not going to punish them because he can’t write on a line right.” 

“So what do you propose we do?” Stane cleared his throat, trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible. In his head, he was throttling Tony, and not for the first time. 

“We…we give them both a chance,” Tony smiled, opening his arms wide as he looked at the two confused looking men. “I’m going to date you both, and then I’ll make my decision. I’ll make the announcement right before the wedding and walk one of you down the aisle.” 

“So…this is a competition?” Steve asked, looking back over at Bucky, feeling guilty that he wouldn’t look back at him. 

“I don’t want to say competition, that sounds harsh,” Tony shook his head, looking quite pleased with himself. “This entire contest was about fate, what chance would bring me, and it’s brought me both of you. So I can’t imagine doing anything other than this. I’d like to think I’m a fair King.” 

“Very fair, sire,” Pepper said, looking at the two men, realizing she had some organizing to do if they were both coming to the castle. “How many rooms do I need to have waiting?” 

“What do you have now?” Tony raised an eyebrow, looking back over at the two men. “How many rooms do we need? How many people are you bringing?” 

“I’m bringing my mother,” Steve wondered what she would think of everything going on. He knew he’d have her cheering him on as he courted the King. “So I suppose two for me.” 

Bucky didn’t answer for a moment as he went back and forth in head on whether he should bring Namor with him. The man was positively rude at the best of times, but he didn’t want to just leave him behind either. He’d have to leave it up to Namor, he wasn’t sure if his friend had any desire to live amongst royalty, but he would give him the opportunity at least. 

“Can I bring my friends? Two of them, or one, I don’t know about the other,” Bucky said softly, looking up at Tony, afraid to make eye contact, though he managed to. 

“You people are easy to please, of course we can do that,” said Tony, grinning wider as he thought about getting to spend time with both of them. This was better than his original plan, this way he was going to get a bit of a choice from the pair that fate brought them. “Pepper, how long until you can get them each a few rooms?” 

“Give me an hour and I can have everything prepared,” Pepper said, glad that they’d at least prepared a few rooms for the draw winner. They’d only have a few more to freshen up. “Is there anything else you’d like me to do, Sire?”

“That’s fine, go ahead,” Tony nodded as Pepper hurried out, turning to face the two nervous looking men. “I thought whoever won would be a lot happier. One of you looks lost, and the other one looks like he wants to eat that one’s face every few minutes. You two know each other?” 

“We did, a long time ago,” Bucky’s voice was soft and quiet, embarrassed at being caught glaring at Steve by the King. That can’t be a good first impression.

“And?” Tony asked, raising his eyebrows as he looked at the two of them. “Oh come on, you can’t leave me hanging. What happened?”

“He used me and forgot about me,” Bucky answered, giving Steve another look. “He needed a sacrifice and I was conveniently there.” 

“That’s not exactly everything,” Steve interjected, clearing his throat as he tried to ignore his once best friend. “I was very small and sickly, and my mother had heard of a magic man far in the woods who could help me. Bucky came with me, as did my mother, and when we found the man, he said he needed something from us. I swear, I didn’t know it was his arm, but…the man cured me in exchange for Bucky’s arm. He needed it for some spell.” 

“And then you forgot about me,” Bucky said, pursing his lips and looking down at the ground. 

“I felt bad, Bucky, I was horrified. I stayed back because I thought you’d hate me,” Steve said weakly, still hating that he’d been such a coward. Bucky would have needed him them more than ever, and instead he stayed back out of fear of his anger. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I never meant to make you think I was using you. I was a kid, I didn’t know what to do, I’d just seen you lose your arm and I was a chicken.”

“Mhm…” Bucky grunted, not acknowledging anything Steve had said. He wasn’t interested in an apology, that wouldn’t give him his arm back. 

“So does this mean you two can live together now? You’re not going to kill each other or anything, are you?” Tony questioned, not wanting the headache of brawls happening in the castle because these two had a past. 

“I’m fine if he’s fine, I have no ill will towards him,” Steve looked down at his hands clasped in front of him, and then back up to Tony. “I’m sure there won’t be any trouble.” 

“…it’ll be okay…” Bucky mumbled after a moment, knowing that Natasha would kill him if he blew this chance just because he wanted to punch Steve. “You won’t have any problems with me.” 

“Good, good, I like hearing that,” Tony said with relief, glad that he wasn’t going to have to put them in separate wings or something. 

“Wonderful,” stated Stane from the corner of the tent, starting to wonder if these two idiots would take each other out so that he could go ahead with his own plans. Maybe this dual winner nonsense would work for him, he wasn’t about to complain about the two men not getting along. Hopefully they’d fight soon and Tony would throw them both out. 

“So, Steven and…Bucky’s fine, right?” Tony looked at Bucky for a second, waiting for him to nod to continue. “Would either of you like a drink of anything? I’m sure you’re in shock, I can give you something stronger than you’d probably be used to.” 

“Yes, please,” the two men said in unison, though this seemed to annoy Bucky who shot Steve another look. 

“You can call me Steve, if you want, Sire,” Steve said, holding his hands in front of himself, hoping they could make this a little less formal. He was so nervous, no one had ever taught him anything about the protocol of talking to the King. 

“Steve? Alright, I can do that,” Tony nodded, gesturing for one of his servants to get them each a glass of his private whiskey. “I suppose if I’m courting you two, we might as well be on a first name basis. You may call me Tony in private, but you should stick to ‘Sire’ in public. For now, anyway.” 

“That’s…that’s very kind of you,” Bucky said, surprised that the King had just casually said that he was courting the two of them. He still couldn’t believe this was happening, though he was still pretty sure Steve was going to win. 

Taking the glass of whiskey in his hand, Bucky sniffed at it carefully before he lifted the glass and downed the liquid. Blinking back tears, he felt like the inside of his chest was burning in an oddly pleasant way, the sweet taste of alcohol on his lips. This was so much better than the ale from the pubs, he could get used to this, even though he knew he shouldn’t. It did, however, amuse him when the amber drink caused Steve to cough. At least he could handle his alcohol. 

“That, if you’re wondering, is my private whiskey,” Tony grinned, handing his glass back to the servant, who took Steve and Bucky’s as well before disappearing over to the side again. “It was aged much longer than the stuff you may have tried.” 

“It’s…hot,” Steve coughed, blinking back tears, wondering how Bucky could just drink it like that. “I don’t know if hot is the right word. It burns though. I’ve only ever had ale and wine.” 

“I liked it,” Bucky said with a smile, finding a tiny way that he could be better than Steve and running with it. 

“Excellent, I’m glad you did,” said Tony as he clasped his hands together. “Are you hungry? Is there anything else we can get for you? Oh, I suppose we should find your families and let them know what’s going on.” 

“What are their names? I’ll have them fetched from the crowd,” Stane offered, stepping out of the shadows, his hands tented in front of him. “Their names?” 

“Sarah Rogers,” Steve said, hoping his mother would be easy to find, and that people hadn’t given her a hard time because he happened to win. 

“Natasha Romanov…” Bucky wondered once again about Namor. He hadn’t even come to the town square today, he didn’t know how he was going to reach him to tell him to go to the castle. 

“I will find them,” Stane said, bowing out of the tent, just happy to be away from his nephew and his new boyfriends for a bit. 

“See, everything’s under control. Well, except the draw, obviously, but we can work with that,” Tony laughed, finding himself a little nervous in front of Steve and Bucky. He wanted them to like him, but he didn’t know how genuinely likeable he was as everyone just put up with his shit with a smile on their face. “Though I like this, I think fate has brought you both to me, and then hopefully my heart will do the rest.” 

“The person who made the mistake, will they be punished?” Steve had to ask, not wanting to think of someone getting thrown in a cell because their writing was untidy. 

“What? No,” Tony shook his head, laughing again as he tried to think of something interesting to tell these men about himself, besides the king thing, obviously. “No, they won’t be punished, but I might have Pepper pick a more suitable position for them than anything to do with writing. I wouldn’t dream of punishing someone for a mistake like that.” 

“Good. I didn’t think you would, but…I thought I should ask,” Steve’s shoulders dropped a little as he tried to make it sound like he wasn’t just suspicious of Tony’s policies. He knew he wasn’t nearly in with the King enough to start requesting changes. 

“It’s fine. Both of you, please relax, that’s why I gave you the whiskey,” Tony said, wondering if he should give them more. He was pretty sure Bucky was already drunk though, he looked like he was swaying on his feet a bit. “Why don’t we have a seat? Make things a little more informal.” 

“I…that would be great,” Bucky took a deep breath, forcing a smile, really trying to be more pleasant than he normally felt. 

“Over here, follow me,” Tony led them over to the furniture in the corner of the tent, sitting down on his red plush chair and leaving the couch for them. 

“I feel like I’m going to make a mess, it’s so clean,” Steve said, looking at the purple velvet couch, afraid to even touch it. 

“You do?” Bucky clamped his mouth shut the moment he realized he’d just spoken to Steve, though he too was nervous about sitting on the couch in his goat herding clothes. 

“It’s fine, it can be cleaned, just sit down,” Tony insisted, gesturing to the servant again to bring some more whiskey for the men. “Sit, please, don’t hesitate in the least. I can see what you’re wearing, and I’m still telling you to go ahead, right?” 

“I suppose, yes,” Steve slowly lowered himself down onto the couch, letting out a long breath as he settled against it. This was so much nicer than the hard furniture he was used to. 

“Holy sh-…I mean, this is nice,” Bucky mentally kicked himself for almost swearing, and started blushing outright as Tony burst out laughing. 

“Kings swear too, go ahead and say what you want,” Tony chuckled, unable to help thinking that Bucky looked adorable when he blushed. He couldn’t wait to see these two cleaned up, he was sure Pepper would assign a team for making them over. 

“I don’t want to be too crass, though, I want to…I don’t want to embarrass you,” Bucky stumbled on his words, cursing Natasha for challenging him to drink as much as he did. It didn’t really make conversation easier. 

“You’re not going to embarrass me. I got drunk and threw up on Princess Angela of the Asgardians,” Tony couldn’t help but smile at that. He was lucky King Odin and the Princes didn’t come after him for that one. “I embarrass myself more than anyone else can, I assure you.” 

“If you’re sure,” Bucky said with an uneasy laugh, still wary on how to behave exactly and hating Natasha for not choosing to do this herself. She was way better with people than he was. He knew he really needed to get some sort of pardon for her past crimes though, he didn’t know if they’d try to throw her in the dungeons. 

“What did the Princess do?” Steve asked, unable to help his curiosity. “I don’t imagine princesses get thrown up on much.” 

“You don’t know the Asgardians. They’re a rough bunch, the Princess fights as much as the Princes do, and drinks the same,” Tony realized he was going to have to coach them both a lot about the other Kingdoms. “But she still didn’t appreciate me doing it. I thought she was going to knock my teeth out.” 

“Do the other kingdoms know how you’re choosing your spouse?” Bucky asked, wondering if anyone else had ever done something like this before. “Where did you get the idea?” 

“Wakanda knows, I told King T’Challa. He wished me good luck,” Tony swirled his whiskey in his glass as it was handed to him, picking up a piece of cheese from the accompanying platter. “And I came up with it. I didn’t want to marry some high class snob, I wanted to marry someone with some substance. And you two fit that pretty well, I think my lottery was a success.” 

“Sire…I mean, Tony….” Bucky was starting to worry, Stane was taking a while, what if they’d arrested Natasha. “About my friend who’s coming to live with me at the castle. She…out of desperation, she’s stolen a bit, and-“

“Don’t worry,” Tony put his hand up to silence Bucky, taking a bite from his cheese. “Whatever happens between us, I’m sure I can come to an agreement about your friend. I’ve never been so poor I had to steal, but that doesn’t mean I’m not sympathetic. She’ll be fine.” 

“Oh gods, thank you,” Bucky relaxed completely, flopping against the back of the couch as he downed his whiskey in a gulp. He didn’t realize how tense he’d been, knowing Natasha was going to be okay was all the relief he needed. 

Steve wanted to say he was pleased for Bucky, that he didn’t want anything to happen to his friend either. He didn’t think Bucky wanted to hear from him, though, and he couldn’t blame him. Steve really had abandoned Bucky when he needed him most, no wonder he hated him. He should have gone to look after Bucky, he should have taken care of him and made sure he knew his sacrifice wasn’t for nothing. Steve was strong and healthy, and it was only because Bucky’d lost his arm for him. 

“And your mom, Steve, does she need anything in particular?” Tony asked Steve, breaking his train of thought. “A pardon, a healer, anything?” 

“No, Mom’s good…” Steve shook his head, looking down at his glass of whiskey before taking a small sip. “I have a friend, Sam Wilson, he’s a soldier in the guard, I would…if I have to have some one guard me, I’d want it to be him, please. If that’s possible.” 

“That’s very possible. Do you have a bodyguard of choice, Bucky?” Tony set his empty glass down, reaching for more cheese and meat. 

“I guess my friend Natasha, she’s not in the guard, but she can beat up anyone,” Bucky shrugged a little, wondering if she would mind taking that position. There wasn’t anyone else in the world that he trusted like her though. 

“Good, good, I’m glad you’ll have people you get along with guarding you,” Tony smiled, popping some roast meat into his mouth, wondering what kind of wine they had in the tent. “Is that everything? No more surprises from either of you? No kids, no undercover spying, none of that?” 

“No, nothing at all,” Steve said, genuinely pleased to be where he was right now between the King and Bucky, hoping he could win them both over. It might take time, and patience, but he was determined. 

“That’s everything from me,” Bucky nodded, giving Tony a smile as he helped himself to some more meat. He didn’t think Tony needed to know that he wanted to influence him into lowering taxes and sparing the poor. And beating Steve Rogers for the chance to do so was even sweeter. 

“Excellent then,” Tony smiled at both men, wondering which one he was going to end up with. As far as he was concerned at the moment, they were both good candidates, he’d be happy with either. He couldn’t wait for the fun of getting to know them, spend some one on one time with them, maybe a little more. 

Something told him this wasn’t going to be an easy decision.


	6. Coffee and A Clip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast and makeovers for the Rogers and Barnes/Romanov families on thir first morning in the castle. Along with a bit of plotting.

When he woke up the next morning in his posh new bed in the castle, Steve had no idea what the day was going to hold. He imagined he’d be eating a massive meal again, probably right after the tenth time his mother fussed about how expensive everything there was. Even the blankets were embroidered and colourful, and the bed and pillow were a delight to lie on. Steve could definitely get used to this kind of living, especially with his mother by his side. 

“Steve, look what they’ve brought us!” Sarah gasped from the room connecting hers to her son’s, looking at the feast on the table. On it was a spread of fruits like she’d never seen, all sliced up neatly for them. Behind that was a thick, juicy ham, with a few servings worth of meat already cut free. There were pastries, apple by Sarah’s guess, and a couple of small loaves of bread next to a tray of butter. There was no shortage of cutlery or plates for them, they had enough food to throw their own banquet. 

“That is a lot of food…” Steve ran his hands through his hair, loving how clean it felt. They’d had baths before they went to bed last night, and though Steve had complained at the time, he was happy with the job the servant had done in cleaning him up, especially his nails. 

“What did they tell you would be happening today? You must need new clothes, you can’t go around in a dressing gown,” Sarah couldn’t help the excited little laugh that left her lips. “My son has a dressing gown!”

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, Steve turned back to the table, loading up his plate and pouring himself a cup of coffee as well. He’d heard of coffee before, and he was pretty sure this was it going by the description he was given. Sniffing it carefully, he blew across the dark surface of the liquid before bringing it to his lips for a tentative sip. Eyes going wide, he took a more substantial drink next, feeling like his whole body was warming from within. He liked coffee. 

“Isn’t that good? I had some before you got up,” Sarah smiled, going to help herself to another cup, not noticing the tremor in her hand until she spilled a little coffee on the floor. “Oh no, I’ll just-“

“You’re not here to clean, Mom,” Steve reminded her, leading her back to her seat, taking the one across from her. “People are taking care of you here, not the other way around. You don’t have to lift a finger ever again if everything goes well.” 

“It’s such a hard habit to break though,” Sarah held her cup in both hands, warming her palms. She should have been at work hours ago, right now she should be covered in fish innards and scales. But instead of freezing, aching hands, fingers that struggled to straighten and bend, she was sitting in a dressing gown worth more than every garment she’d ever owned put together. It was surreal in the most beautiful way possible. 

“You deserve this, Mom,” Steve picked up a piece of orange fruit off his plate, biting into it as he tried not to make a mess of the juices running down his chin. “Okay, this is messy whatever it is.” 

“Steve…” Sarah sighed, shaking her head to reach over to get him a napkin, handing it over to him. “Clean yourself up with that. We can’t have the King walking in with you covered in fruit.” 

“I’ll try to be neater,” Steve promised as he wrapped some of the roast meat in a piece of bread, closing his eyes as he took a bite. And in that moment, a selfish part of his brain awoke, telling him he rightly won this life. As much as he felt for Bucky, he didn’t know if he could go back to that shack with his mother. He felt warm here, safe, clean, and now fed. It wasn’t going to be easy to give this up if he failed them.

Though, really, he didn’t deserve any of this. Not over Bucky. 

“Are you supposed to meet with the King today? Did he say if he’d be coming to visit?” Sarah asked, leaning back in her chair, feeling like royalty already. 

“He didn’t say, no,” Steve shook his head, not slowing down as he continued to devour everything on his plate. He was hoping Tony would come by, he wanted to ask if his friend Sam could be promoted to being his personal guard. There was no one he trusted more, and he wanted to give Sam a better life as well. It was the least he could do for his best friend. 

“Someone needs to come by today, we can’t wear these all day. Surely there’s something they want us to do,” Sarah tilted her head a bit as she thought about what she could do with all her spare time here. “I should be working on an embroidery design for your wedding.” 

“I’m pretty sure the King has people to embroider for his occasions, and I’m not definitely marrying him. Don’t forget about Bucky,” Steve reminded her, getting back up on his feet to grab more food. 

“Steve, I know you love Bucky and you blame yourself for what happened to him, but he’s a very angry man,” Sarah said softly, knowing that her words would hurt her son. “He’s changed since you knew him. I’ve talked to lots of people around town about him and they just avoid him now. Why would the King pick an angry man who pushes his people away?” 

“Maybe the King can make him happy though, maybe he can bring a smile to his face and he’d be the Bucky I know again,” Steve hoped that could be the case, that it wasn’t too late to save Bucky from himself. 

“I wouldn’t count on that, Steve,” getting up, Sarah walked over to put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Fight for this chance, Steve, you’ll never get another one like it. Have the king fall in love with you, and then together maybe you can do something to help Bucky.” 

Steve frowned, looking down at his food to avoid his mother’s eyes. He didn’t like her suggestion, but it made sense to him. He just didn’t know if Bucky would accept his help or throw it back in his face. Frankly, he felt like he deserved the latter. 

“I’ll do my best…” he promised softly, looking at his mother, and forcing a smile. “I want this life for us, Mom. It’s just hard for me to not want it for him too.” 

“That’s because you’re a good man, Steve,” Sarah said with pride in her voice as she went back to her seat, looking around the opulent room as she clutched her coffee close. “And a good man is what this Kingdom needs.” 

Steve opened his mouth to speak when there came a heavy knock on the door. Getting to his feet, he barely had time to put down his plate and brush the crumbs from himself when the woman he recognized as Pepper walked into the room along with an older gentleman carrying a wooden box. 

“Good morning, Steve, Sarah,” Pepper said cheerfully, giving them both warm smiles to hopefully put them at ease. “How was your breakfast?” 

“It was amazing, there was so much,” Steve’s laugh was a little nervous, though only because he didn’t know what they had in store for him. 

“It was beautiful, we can’t thank you enough,” Sarah gushed, standing next to her son and giving him a nudge to stand up straighter. “Please tell the King we’re very thankful for his hospitality.”

“You can tell him yourself later,” Pepper walked up to Steve, looking him over, lightly touching his chin to move his head from side to side. “Jarvis, I’m thinking a short style for him. He was a soldier, he would suit to look like one.”

“Of course, my lady,” Jarvis said, setting the box down on the table and opening it to show off an array of scissors and combs. 

“Oh, Steve, this is Jarvis, he’s the personal butler to the King,” Pepper explained, going over to Sarah next, cocking her head as she looked her over. “Jarvis is the best, but he only cuts the hair of those closest to His Majesty. He’s going to be fixing you both up today. I really think she just needs a trim, Jarvis, her hair is taken care of.” 

“Of course, I brushed it a hundred times a day,” Sarah said proudly, bringing her hand up to her blonde locks. “You won’t take much, will you?” 

“Just a little at the bottom, my lady,” Jarvis bowed slightly to her, reaching out a hand to pick up a beautiful carved brush, holding it out to her. “I can get you one just like this for your own use.” 

“Thank you so much!” Sarah gasped, so delighted with all the fine details of the brush that she didn’t notice Steve being sat down in a chair, an apron being draped around him by Pepper. 

“It’s so nice to have such thankful people come to live with us,” Pepper smiled, backing off to let Jarvis have room to work on Steve. “You’re going to have some tailors come in too to make you some new clothes. We’ll get both of your measurements and have some clothes made as soon as possible. Do either of you have a colour you like?” 

“Blue, not too dark or too light, but…a nice blue,” Steve answered, perking up a bit at the thought of being able to wear his favourite colour. He mostly wore brown or greyish clothing, with a red vest that signified he was a guard. 

“I think a pale blue for me, if that’s alright. I’ve always wanted a pale blue dress,” Sarah gushed, feeling tears prick the corners of her eyes as she imagined herself walking down the stairs clad in a beautiful gown with her hair braided in a crown on her head. It had been the thought that got her through many shifts at the docks, and now it was within her grasp. 

“There’s lots of shades of blue material, I’m sure that we can find you both something you like,” Pepper watched as Jarvis combed out Steve’s hair, his scissors seeming to have a life of their own as small blond hairs floated to the floor. “For now, we’ll have some comfortable clothes brought to you until yours are finished. But knowing our tailors, it won’t take long.” 

“It’s just nice to feel so clean, and well rested, and…” Steve only wished he felt more at home here. It was comfortable, but it would take him more than one evening to feel truly settled. “It’s hard to think of this as home though.”

“If you’re wondering about your things, we spoke to your mother last night, and someone will go collect them today,” Pepper reassured him, figuring the man would want to have his possessions, as few as they may be. 

“What if I don’t get picked? What if someone moves into our house with it being empty?” Steve asked, sitting up a bit until Jarvis’s gentle hand on his shoulder kept him in place. “We didn’t even think about losing our home.” 

“His Majesty hasn’t told me what he plans to do in regards to that, my apologies,” Pepper looked down at the list in her hand, knowing she had to go visit the Barnes man next, though she was going to try to get a chance to talk to Tony about Steve’s question. 

“Don’t even think of losing, Steve, you have to stay positive,” Sarah reminded him, watching as Jarvis skillfully snipped through the thick blond hair, scattering it around Steve’s feet in a ring. “Steve, you look so much older. So distinguished. You look…” Tearing up, Sarah wiped her eyes with one of the napkins, her heart swelling with pride. 

“Come on, Mom, it’s just a haircut,” Steve laughed, though there was a tremor to his voice. He could see his reflection in a mirror hanging off the wall, something he wasn’t used to seeing quite that clearly, or without his scruffy blond hair. 

“Wait until you see him after a shave. If you choose to have one,” Pepper said, wanting to make sure that Steve looked exactly how he wanted to. 

“Yes please,” Steve grinned, looking back at the mirror at the uneven beard he’d tried desperately to keep neat. He didn’t quite have Jarvis’s skills though. 

“I’ll have you looking like a proper Prince in no time, sir,” Jarvis nodded at Steve’s reflection before turning back to his work. 

“W-wow…” was all Steve could manage, his heart beating with excitement in his chest. Then, as the thought of Bucky getting made over entered his head, he couldn’t fight back the blush that rose to his cheeks. He’d always thought that Bucky was handsome, and imagining what he looked like now was definitely having an effect on Steve. 

How was he supposed to love the King if he was still in love with Bucky?

“This place is beyond…can you imagine what selling this artwork alone would do for the peasants?” Natasha asked between bites of meat, looking around the room to see what they could steal if Bucky lost. She definitely didn’t plan on leaving empty handed. 

“I think most of these paintings could feed a block of houses for a year,” Bucky replied, examining some fruit he’d never seen before. It was yellow and sweet, but it was full of little strands that got stuck in his teeth. Still, he couldn’t stop eating it. 

“At least that much,” Natasha scoffed, eyeing the coffee again. She was pretty sure that she and Bucky had drunk most of it, the two were practically vibrating in their seats, but she still wished they had more. “Bucky, we get to live like this. Well, hopefully you can convince the King to sell some of this stuff for a better cause, but you know what I mean.”

“You mean we’re going to help others, but in the meantime, we get to live like this as well,” Bucky said with a chuckle, glad that they could both have full bellies because of his luck. He still didn’t think it was worth their time to pretend he was going to win though, but he wasn’t going to ruin Natasha’s fun. 

“Can you imagine eating like this every morning, though? What is it you’re eating, you’ve had an insane amount of it,” Natasha sat up in her chair a little, putting her plate to the side as she laughed at her friend. 

“I have…no idea,” Bucky examined the ring of fruit again, picking it up and giving it a little shake before shrugging and biting it. “It’s delicious. I don’t care what it’s called.” 

“Then how can you ask for more?” Natasha pointed out, giving him her mock smug look. 

“I will say ‘you there, bring me something yellow, round, and sweet’,” Bucky chuckled, laughing harder as he tried to keep a straight face. “I mean, how many things can be yellow, round, and sweet?” 

Getting up from her seat, Natasha walked over to the array of fruit, looking through it before picking up a yellow plum. Holding it up, she took a bite, chewing thoughtfully as she examined it. “This is pretty round, and it’s sweet, and I might be losing it, but it seems to be yel-“ 

“Shut up,” Bucky grumbled, though he only started to laugh again. He’d been in a good mood all morning, probably due to the great sleep and spread of food. 

“Never,” Natasha picked up another plum, going back to sit down, running a hand down the arm of her red dressing gown. Looking over at Bucky, she couldn’t help but think he looked more distinguished all cleaned up in his matching one. She wasn’t sure about Bucky being a royal at first, but she was starting to see it now. 

“So do you think Namor is going to show up?” Bucky asked, leaning his head back against the chair, loving how soft and plush it was. He felt like he was sinking into a cloud. 

“Namor? No,” Natasha shook her head and laughed grimly. “He’d probably just get us kicked out, so don’t worry about him. He thought this whole plan was stupid anyway, he’d probably just be annoyed with us that it worked.”

“It hasn’t worked yet,” Bucky pointed out to her. “I’ve got my foot in the door, but I’m not married. We might still end up back where we started.”

“Ugh, don’t even say that. I can’t eat porridge again,” Natasha whined jokingly, though there was some truth to what she was saying. She’d had a taste of a better life, and she didn’t want to give it up. “Maybe we should coach you.”

“Coach me?” Bucky raised an eyebrow, fiddling with the empty arm of his robe. 

“Yeah, we find someone here that knows their stuff when it comes to etiquette and speaking like royalty, and we get them to teach you everything,” Natasha said matter of factly, giving Bucky a wide smile. “Trust me, if you can beat Steve Rogers at something, it has to be this. He might have two arms, but you’re smart.”

“Steve is pretty smart…” Bucky frowned, not looking quite so confident. 

“He’s just a soldier.”

“I’m just a goat herder.” 

“You’re also a thief, you’re also a part of the revolution of our people,” Natasha said in a hurried whisper, pointing right at Bucky. “You got us this far.”

“You bought the ticket, and chance made us winners, we didn’t earn this spot at all,” Bucky reminded her. 

“God, you’re so negative sometimes,” Natasha sighed annoyingly, blowing a piece of her hair out of her face. “We’re here, Bucky, it doesn’t matter if it was fate or hard work, it’s happened. Now we have to figure out what to do next.”

“We fit in, I guess, if we can,” shrugged Bucky as he got back to his feet, about to go picking through the fruit again when he heard a knock at the door. Before he could react, it opened, and Pepper stepped through with a man he hadn’t met. 

“Good morning, Bucky, and…Natasha, right?” Pepper asked, smiling when the other woman nodded. “How is your meal? Is everything to your liking?” 

“Yeah, it’s great. Uhm, what are the rings of yellow sweet fruit called?” Bucky asked, wishing he hadn’t eaten it all so he could show her. 

“That’s pineapple, and if you like it, we can try to make sure you have some with your meals,” Pepper said, making a quick note of Bucky’s preference in her book along with everything she’d written down after talking to the others. “Is there anything else that stood out to you?” 

“Coffee,” Natasha and Bucky said together quickly, which only made Pepper burst out laughing. 

“The coffee seems to be popular with everyone,” she said as she watched Jarvis begin to get his tools out again. “This is Jarvis, he’s the King’s butler, he’ll be doing your hair today.”

“Doing what to my hair?” Bucky asked weakly, kind of attached to his long locks now that they were clean and smelled nice. He’d hated his hair until he gave it a good wash, he’d forgotten what colour it was supposed to be. “I kind of like it as it is.” 

“Anything you like,” Pepper reassured him with a smile. “If you want to keep your hair long, Jarvis can just tidy up the ends a bit. He’s quite good at what he does.”

“I’ll make sure to keep most of your length, sir,” Jarvis promised as he lead Bucky to a chair and put the apron on him. “I can give you a cut that’s fashionable with the young men nowadays.” 

“I think it’ll look good,” Natasha said in a way that also carried the message for Bucky to shut up and let the man do his job. 

“Will I still be able to pull it back?” Bucky asked, looking up at Jarvis as he readied his newly cleaned scissors. 

“Of course, we’ll just leave a few shorter pieces in the front,” Jarvis said, combing through Bucky’s thick hair. “And what would you like to do about your beard? Will you be wanting a shave or a trim?” 

“A trim, I think,” Bucky said, though he immediately second guessed himself and looked over at Pepper. “What does the King like? I mean, I’m supposed to be impressing him, what if he hates long hair and beards?” 

“I can assure you, the King will be happy with however you look,” smiled Pepper sweetly as she watched Jarvis begin to snip away. “Actually, one of the last men he dated had long hair, so I know he likes that at least.” 

“See? You made a good choice,” Natasha said as she helped herself to more grapes, biting a particularly round one in half. 

“Natasha, Jarvis will be able to do your hair as well, is there a style you’d like?” Pepper asked the pretty redhead, wondering what would suit her best. “He’s very good at women’s hair too.” 

“I never really thought about…” Natasha let out a long breath, reaching up to touch a piece of hair brushing against her cheek. She’d had the same hair for most of her life, she didn’t bother cutting it until it was nearly to her waist. Now she had the opportunity for something new, something bold, and she was going to take it. “Could you cut it to around my jaw line?” 

“Of course,” Jarvis said to her, not pausing as he worked on Bucky, the pile of brown hair growing on the floor. “That would be a beautiful look for you, my lady, I’d be happy to.” 

“Then, yes, that’s what I want. Please,” Natasha couldn’t help the nervous smile that broke across her face. Looking at Bucky, she almost giggled when he gave her the same look. 

“The other thing we have to discuss is clothing,” Pepper opened her book again, ready to write with her sharpened pencil. “Is there a colour either of you would prefer for your clothes? We’re going to have our tailors start on some outfits for you to wear today, so they’ll be by later to measure you.” 

“Let me guess, the others picked blue,” Bucky said, trying not to move much as more hair rained down on his shoulder. 

“Good guess, but how did you know we were already there?” Pepper asked, genuinely curious as she paused her pencil above her paper. 

“You said the coffee was popular with everyone,” Bucky answered, forcing himself to smile politely at her. He wasn’t much in the practice of smiling at strangers. “And it’s not a guess, Steve and his mother love blue things.” 

“Well, you’re right, so if you want a colour different than that, feel free to pick one. Though there’s probably enough shades of blue for everyone,” Pepper said, recalling the last time she had to go down to the tailor’s workshop. 

“How about black?” Bucky asked, an idea springing into his head as he tried to keep the smile on his face from looking too devious. “The royal colours are red and gold…could I have red and gold accents on black clothes?” 

Bucky mentally congratulated himself for the brilliant idea as Natasha’s eyes grew wide for a moment before she caught herself and kept her expression neutral. Looking over at a thoughtful Pepper, Bucky bit his lip as he waited to see what she thought of that idea. 

“Ohh, that’ll look nice. Sure, we can do that,” Pepper said as she wrote that in her book, turning to Natasha next. “And you, my lady?” 

“I think I’ll go with black too,” Natasha grinned, picturing the two of them decked out and looking dramatic. “I’d like to compliment my friend.”

“I’m telling you now, I think you two are going to look fabulous,” Pepper said, almost excited at the thought of black outfits with the King’s colours on them. 

“We are, aren’t we?” Bucky’s smile was more genuine that time, more hopeful, and in that moment, he felt like he had a real chance at this. He could marry the King, he could change their kingdom, he could be everything he dreamed for himself. Steve Rogers could play the good soldier, but Bucky could be something darker, something more captivating instead.

And how could King Anthony resist a good mystery?


	7. Truce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Bucky are introduced to the court, and spend some time with Tony.

“Sire, what are you doing?!” 

“I’m working on my creation, what does it look like?” Tony said nonchalantly, looking through one of his large glass lenses, his tweezers delicately placing a cog into its spot. Carefully adjusting it, Tony sat up a bit to look over at the frantic Pepper who’d just came rushing in. 

“You’re late for supper!” Pepper pursed her lips sternly, still hugging her notebook to her chest, a pencil clutched in her hand. 

“So I’m late, just send a plate down here,” Tony shrugged, leaning over to get back to work as he picked up another tool. 

“Sire, this is your first supper with the lottery winners,” Pepper reminded him urgently, walking over to his desk. “They’re waiting for you to arrive so they can be brought in.” 

“And this has to be today?” Tony asked with a sigh, putting more dramatic emphasis into that than he needed to. 

“Yes, that has to be today,” Pepper said, trying not to sound as irritated as she was, lest Tony take the opportunity to drive her insane. “You need to clean up, you need to get dressed…”

“Why, is this formal?” Tony frowned, not liking the sound of that. 

“YES!” Pepper slammed her book down on the desk, unable to take any more of Tony’s crap at the moment, king or not. “This is formal, important, and RIGHT NOW!” 

“I don’t know why we couldn’t have a relaxed first meal with them,” Tony grumbled, getting out of his chair before Pepper chose to hit him with the book next. “Wouldn’t they be more at ease if this was nice and casual?” 

“You can talk to them casually later, but they need to be introduced to court, and seeing as how you’re the King, you HAVE to be there!” Pepper insisted, though she was starting to calm down a little. “Sire, please just go.” 

“I will, I will…” Tony waved his hand dismissively before running it through his hair, looking at Pepper. “How late am I now?” 

“Half an hour,” Pepper said, picking up her book again. 

“Okay, considering how long it takes for me to get dressed up and slap a crown on my head, do you really want me to go do that?” asked Tony, giving Pepper a warm smile and cocking his head, trying his best to look cute. “I can just go there like this, and we can get this started that much sooner. I mean, do we really need me to be dressed up for this?” 

Pepper gave Tony the flattest look she could muster, not moving an inch as her arms fell at her side. If her expression was an action, she’d be throttling Tony at the moment. 

“I feel like you’re seeing reason here,” Tony said optimistically, his smile getting wider as he walked over to hold Pepper by her shoulders. “Pepper, my dear, just say the words. Tell me I’m off the hook.” 

“Sire…” 

“You know you just want me to show up and eat and behave myself. You don’t need me to look fancy…” 

“Sire…” 

“You just want me to make nice, get to know those two men, maybe their families too…”

“Sire, PLEASE…” 

“Pepper, I’m begging you, let me do this my way.” 

“…fine,” Pepper finally conceded, gritting her teeth as she admitted to herself that this was just going to keep going in circles. “You can wear that if you go up there right this instant and make an appearance. And you’re going to stay there, eat, and be social!”

“I can do that, of course,” Tony grinned, putting a hand over his heart. “I promise you, I’ll be on my best behavior.” 

“And you have to stay there after supper,” Pepper added with a huff. “No leaving to come back down here. You have to have a few drinks with them if they choose to indulge in that, or you can have coffee, but you’re staying there.” 

“Okay, don’t get too carried away, I ca-“ Tony opened his mouth to speak when he saw the fire in Pepper’s eyes, certain that she was about to commit regicide any second now. “You know what? That sounds like a good idea, a few drinks or something, getting to know those men. Good idea.” 

“Very good idea,” Pepper nodded, her voice tight and irritated, eyebrows raised as she tried to contain herself. “Go. Now.” 

“Going now!” Tony said as he rushed past Pepper to the door, not wasting any time heading to the dining hall. He knew he’d pushed things with her, he’d have to make it up to her later, but for now he had a fancy dinner to host. On top of having potential fiancés to woo, and families to impress. 

“What is taking him so long?” Sarah asked quietly, standing in a room off the hall wearing a brand new light blue dress, her blonde hair in an intricate braid down her back. 

“He’s the King, he can take as long as he wants,” Steve reminded her, straightening his new royal blue outfit, feeling awkward wearing the white fur lined cape that went with it. He’d never work clothes like this before, he didn’t imagine it would be possible to do anything but stand around in them. Even the black leather shoes pinched his feet. It wasn’t his toes that he was concentrating on, though; the object of his attention was sitting on the other side of the room looking gorgeous in black. 

“I’m sure he has his reasons for making us wait,” Natasha said as she looked at the books lining the walls, wondering if anyone ever read them. She felt like she’d never felt before wearing a fashionable black dress with short, curled hair. “Maybe this is just creating drama.” 

“Or it’s a test,” Bucky mumbled, his arms crossed as he looked out the window. He’d sat still whilst they braided the sides of his hair, but he didn’t like being stuffed in the fancy outfit they’d made him. It looked more militaristic than Steve’s, which was kind of funny, but he did appreciate the way it made him look. His competition looked like any other rich man, he got to stand out. 

“You think it’s a test?” Steve asked, trying to keep himself from staring at Bucky and failing miserably. 

“I’m not talking to you,” Bucky replied sharply, looking at the neatly pinned sleeve where his left arm should be. It was nice to not have to knot the sleeve and cut it off himself. 

“Just leave him alone, Rogers,” Natasha said before Steve could open his mouth, noting the crushed expression on the man’s face. “I’m not trying to start anything with you. None of us want to bring problems into this, we have enough to stress out over without…” 

“I can assure you, we agree with that,” Sarah looked back and forth between Steve and Bucky, wishing she could have fixed the past between them. “Bucky, I promise you, we don’t want to be enemies. I would never want that. I know there is only going to be one winner in this, but I hope we can make the rest of this time pleasant between us.”

“…thanks, Sarah,” Bucky nodded, his lips pursed as he looked down at the ground in front of him. “I appreciate it, but I still…I can’t pretend I’m not upset still.” 

“No one blames you for that,” Sarah said, feeling maternal over Bucky as she always had. There had been a time when he was pretty much her second son, and it was still close to her heart. 

“What do you think we’ll even have for supper?” Natasha said to break the tension she was feeling in the room. “I mean, I’m going to assume you two eat like we do.” 

“That’s safe to say,” Steve crossed his arms, leaning against the wall beside his mother. “I don’t know, what do rich people eat? Are there animals we don’t know about that they have?” 

“I bet they don’t eat many pies,” Sarah added to the conversation, going over the most expensive foods she knew of in her head. “I have no idea. Maybe some sort of bird, like a swan?” 

“I think it’s odd how little we know about life here, yet they’ve dressed us up and stuck us here with pretty much no instruction,” Bucky frowned, going over to the chair next to Natasha’s to take a seat himself. “I’m starting to wonder if we’re not here for some weird game for all the rich people’s amusement. Ohh look at the poor people, they don’t know how to eat, let’s laugh at them.” 

“You’re being paranoid,” Natasha said, though she couldn’t exactly say that Bucky was wrong. He might be completely correct, and they were all there to make everyone here laugh, but there was a chance this was legitimate too. They couldn’t throw this away on a suspicion. 

“I’m being entirely plausible right now,” Bucky gritted his teeth as he shook his head, feeling like he’d just rather leave than be a part of someone else’s game. He didn’t think Natasha would let him though, especially seeing as she didn’t appear to agree with him. 

“We should be cautious, Bucky could be right,” Sarah frowned, really hoping that this wasn’t the case. “That’s another reason we should work together here. Four sets of ears and eyes can see more than two. Please, Bucky, you know you can trust me, and in your heart, you know you can trust Steve too.” 

“I thought I could trust Steve before,” Bucky replied, glaring at Steve angrily, his hand balling into a fist. “And it cost me an arm.” 

“Bucky, I’m sorry!” Steve pleaded, just wanting this to be over. His hopes had climbed as his mother spoke to his former friend, but they’d come crashing down with Bucky’s reply. “I am so, so sorry, I can’t say it enough. I will never stop saying it.”

“No you can’t say it enough!” Bucky shot back, furious that he had to be trapped in that room with the man he hated more than anything. 

“Sarah has a point, we should work together,” Natasha said after a few seconds of silence, feeling Bucky’s glare without looking over to confirm it. “We’re competitors, but we might need to help each other out. We can look after each other as a group.”

“Are you serious?” Bucky snapped, almost giving himself a neck injury from how fast his head turned. 

“I’m very serious,” Natasha’s voice was serious, and Bucky knew he wasn’t going to be able to make her budge. 

“…alright, a truce then,” Bucky’s voice was gruff, and his irritation evident, but he extended his hand to Sarah. “Also, we won’t sabotage you, you don’t sabotage us. Let’s play fair, I don’t want to make this dirty.”

“Of course, Bucky,” Sarah said as she took his hand, squeezing it between both of hers, smiling at him warmly. “I’ll be happy for you if you win. I wish you nothing but good.” 

“Thanks…” the corners of Bucky’s mouth played up in a little smile as their blue eyes met. There was so much warmth in them still. It was like looking down at his long dead mother. Like it always had been. 

“I think they’re getting ready for us, I hear some commotion,” Natasha said as she got to her feet, smoothing out what felt like way too much skirt. She was going to have to hope Steve and Sarah kept their end of the bargain, though she hadn’t decided if they would. 

Reaching for Bucky, Natasha positioned him at her side and took his arm as Sarah did the same with Steve, staring forward as the doors opened before them. On the other side was what looked like a years worth of food, piled high on various matching table, and dancers performing in the middle of the three tables running along the walls. It smelled wonderful, the scent of spiced and roast meat permeating the air around them, making their mouths water. The King was already seated, as were lots of other men and women who were talking softly between themselves, but it was evident that everyone was waiting for them.

“May I present Sir Steven Rogers with his mother Sarah, and Sir James Barnes with his friend Natasha,” said a well dressed man they hadn’t met yet, gesturing for everyone to step forward as everyone rose to clap, except the seated King. 

“Here we go,” Natasha whispered, unaware that Sarah had said the same thing to her son. “Are you ready?” 

“I’m never going to be ready for this,” Bucky sighed, squeezing his friend’s arm harder as they walked forward into the banquet amidst a round of applause. Whether it was friendly or not was yet to be seen. 

Supper had been an absolutely stunning event. Pepper had gone far beyond her usual level of skill and delivered a meal that was tasty as well as great entertainment. Though not much actual conversation went on during the feast, the King had told them that would wait until after, when they could have some privacy. That was for the better, however, because both Steve and Bucky were concentrating more on the sword fights and dancers than being social with anyone else. Which was much to Sarah and Natasha’s annoyance.

After the last fork was dropped and the final plate pushed away, Tony stood from his beautifully carved chair, turning to look at his left towards Steve, and then his right at Bucky. This was it, he couldn’t keep thinking of reasons to avoid them, he was going to have to do his kingly duty and get to know these two subjects. Luckily, alcohol was going to be involved. 

“Mr. Rogers, Mr. Barnes, if you’d like to come with me. The lovely ladies will be staying here,” Tony said, smiling as the two men got to their feet, both looking more than a little nervous. “Come, we’ll have some drinks. Have a chance to talk.”

“Of course, thank you,” Steve said as he got to his feet along with Bucky, wishing he hadn’t eaten quite that much. Following Tony out of the room and through a door behind his seat, Steve found himself in a room full of comfortable looking furniture. Amongst the couches and chairs were tables with empty glasses and tall bottles full of brown liquid, most likely more whiskey. 

“Is this your drinking room?” Bucky asked, mentally kicking himself the second he said it. He was supposed to be dark and mysterious, not a nosy asshole. 

“Kind of. I like entertaining people in here,” Tony laughed, stepping forward and turning so he could face both men. “I haven’t been ignoring you, I know it’s been a couple days since you got here, but...I’m just a man who’s not used to sharing his time with other people. I’m going to work on that.” 

“Question, you wanted us to call you…is it okay to call you by your name here?” Steve asked, not wanting to make a wrong step here and come off as completely ignorant. 

“Tony’s fine here, yes,” Tony nodded, gesturing for the two men to sit on one couch whilst he took a seat across from them in a high backed scarlet and oak chair. Reaching over to the table, he poured three glasses, handing two out and taking one for himself, which he held up. “Cheers! You know what cheers is, right?”

“We do,” Bucky said, wondering how out of touch the King was as he clinked his glass against Tony’s, not making a fuss when Steve’s hand brushed against his. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” Steve repeated, bringing his hand back to take a sip of the amber liquid, the burn hitting him quickly, leaving notes of salted caramel in his mouth. He didn’t think he could go back to drinking the watery ale at the pub after a few more glasses of this. 

“How are you doing? How do you like it here?” Tony asked as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs as he swirled his whiskey in his glass. “Is there anything you’d like us to do differently? Are your families okay?” 

“Natasha’s pretty happy here, I think, I am too,” Bucky winced again, hating everything he had to say. Tony spoke so eloquently, with such a warm and inviting voice, and he basically mumbled most of the time. “I’d like to see more of you, I mean, I want to get to know you too.” Nice, much better. 

“This place is beautiful, I still can’t believe we’re here,” Steve smiled at the King, impressed by Bucky’s last line but not about to point it out here or anywhere else. 

“Believe it,” Tony gave them a tight-lipped smile, realizing that they probably had no idea how boring this opulence was. They would soon, they’d probably leave this place to go back to a normal life if they knew what they were getting into. 

“So what do you do for your spare time?” Bucky decided he’d jump in and start the conversation between the three of them. Hopefully Steve wouldn’t have too much to add to it. 

“I like to make clockwork creations,” Tony replied, a bit surprised at Bucky’s boldness, but appreciating it all the same. “I can make little…uhm, I’d suppose you’d call them toys. They move on their own, I’m quite proud of them, but I’m often told it’s not what Kings should be up to. What about you two, what do you do for fun?” 

“I work most of the day, but sometimes I go to the pub with my friend, Sam,” Steve offered, though it really wasn’t the same thing. “I like to draw, but I can’t really afford to spend much time doing it.” 

“You have that time now, just tell Pepper what you need and she’ll bring it to you,” Tony said, getting the bottle to pour a new round of drinks. “Sam, why do I think I know that name connected to you?” 

“I asked Pepper if he could be my personal bodyguard,” explained Steve, hoping that asking Tony directly would speed up the process. “His name is Sam Wilson, he’s been a soldier since he was sixteen, and I don’t think there are many better than him.” 

“I don’t have a problem with that, I’ll have him brought in and get him acquainted with the castle soon,” Tony grinned, enjoying that he could pretty much solve any problem Steve was throwing at him. “Bucky, you’re quiet, what do you like to do?”

“I just…” Bucky blinked, not sure what to say to that, both because he didn’t really do much and because telling Tony what he did do would ruin his persona. “I farm goats.”

“That’s your profession, what do you like to do?” Tony asked, raising his eyebrows as he leaned closer to the younger man. “We’re not here to judge you or anything, I’m just seeing how I can help you.” 

“I’m…” pursing his lips, Bucky wasn’t sure if he should put up more walls or tear some down. Tony was staring at him though, he had to say something or he was going to look either boring or stupid. “I like to sing.”

“Sing?” Tony repeated, laughing a little, though it wasn’t malicious. “Who do you sing to?” 

“The goats, mostly. Only the goats,” Bucky corrected himself, hoping that the burning in his cheeks was from the alcohol and not him turning a shade of red to match Tony’s chair. “I don’t think anyone else wants to listen to that.” 

“And do the goats like it?” Tony asked next, genuinely interested in Bucky’s hobby of goat serenading. He didn’t know much about animals, but he was always happy to hear stories about them. 

“They do, yes,” nodded Bucky, still feeling flushed, kicking himself hard mentally for saying anything. He’d already screwed up, he might as well keep going with it. “They like more upbeat songs in the daytime, and slow ones at night. But they always stay by my side if I sing to them, none of them try to wander off.”

“Isn’t that interesting, I wouldn’t have thought goats would like music,” Tony shook his head, polishing off his whiskey, and getting the bottle again. “Do you want us to get you some goats? Or someone to accompany you on an instrument?”

“I always wanted to learn the guitar before, but…” Bucky laughed weakly, patting the stump where his arm had been. “I wouldn’t mind my goats, if that’s no problem. Is there a place I can keep them?” 

“Sure, we’ll find you a place, we can deal with that,” Tony said, very sure of himself and pleased that Pepper would be proud of his progress with Bucky and Steve. He was getting them comfortable; he was setting them up with what they wanted, now he just had to date them. If only he wasn’t so damn nervous about it. 

“I didn’t know you sang,” Steve whispered to Bucky as Tony took their glasses off them to refill again. 

“Well, shows you how much you know about me then,” Bucky retorted sharply, being as polite with Steve as he could manage to be, as he took his drink back from Tony. He may have a truce with Steve at the moment, but that didn’t mean they were friends, or that they ever would be again. He could be civil, but that was it, Steve wasn’t getting any more than that from him. 

He was here to win, and he wasn’t going to let Steve distract him from his goal.


	8. Date Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony takes Bucky and Steve out for some one-on-one time.

Tony whistled as he walked through the corridor, his heart fluttering in his chest as he remembered everything Pepper had told him on how to behave. He was supposed to take them somewhere romantic, somewhere they could talk, and he wasn’t supposed to drink at any time during the date. He was supposed to bring them a gift, but not something extravagant, and he was supposed to ask about them and not talk about his inventions all night. He was to be a gentleman, and he was to refrain from intimate contact. 

He wasn’t looking forward to this nearly as much as he felt he could be. 

“Okay…here goes…” Tony breathed, knocking on the door and stepping back a bit, not wanting to seem like he was trying to crowd anyone. As he heard footsteps on the other side, he smoothed out his black casual clothes, having left the semi-formal outfit Pepper picked out on his bed. 

Tucking his arm behind his back, Tony smiled as the wood door swung open, revealing a nicely dressed Bucky Barnes. He hadn’t thought that Pepper would have given Bucky orders to dress up too, but it was too late to go change now. Holding out his hand, he revealed a small wood box in the palm of his hand with a tiny crank on the side. 

“Your Hi-I mean, Tony…” Bucky bowed a little, fighting his awkwardness as he stood up straight again. “I’m glad you’re here. I mean, it’s nice to spend some time alone with you, an-what is that box?” 

“It’s for you,” Tony said proudly, having put it together himself over the past few days since their first meal together. He realized immediately what the problem might be, that Bucky couldn’t both hold and crank it. “Here, I’ll hold it, you turn the little crank there.” 

“Alright…” Bucky reached out, taking hold of the little metal arm as Tony held it tight. As he slowly turned it, he lit up to hear a tiny tune emanating from the wooden box. “Oh my god, that’s…how does that work?” 

“Here…” Tony carefully lifted the lid, showing Bucky the innards of the music box. “Turn the handle and just watch, you’ll see how it works.” 

“Okay,” Bucky looked into the box as he began to turn the crank, watching as tiny raised bumps made slivers of metal dance. He’d never seen anything like it before, he couldn’t wait to show Natasha. “It’s really for me?” 

“Really for you,” Tony nodded, grinning as Bucky took it from his hand. “I don’t know if you can sing along to it, but I thought you’d appreciate something musical. Did your goats get here, by the way?” 

“Yes, they’re here, thank you,” Bucky looked at the flat surface of the box, noticing his name engraved in the dark wood. “I should put this inside where it’s safe, can you hold on for a moment, please?” 

“Of course,” Tony said, watching as Bucky disappeared in his room, letting out a deep breath. He felt better knowing that Bucky loved the gift, though he couldn’t help thinking if he could have made him something easier to use. 

“Thank you again for that,” Bucky said as he came back to the door, stepping through into the hall. He felt awkward as hell, not knowing where to put his arm, finally letting it just hang at his side. These clothes weren’t as dressy as the ones he wore to supper, but they were still nicer than he was used to. Also, he was pretty sure he’d forgotten everything Pepper told him about etiquette. “Uhm…after you?” 

“Where do you want to go first off?” Tony asked him, waiting patiently as Bucky looked horribly nervous. “I mean, I can pick a spot, we can go up to the roof if you want, or we can go in the gardens, or-“

“How about your workshop?” Bucky blurted, mentally congratulating himself on coming up with a good idea that centered around Tony’s interests. “You can tell me all about what you make, how you make it, that kind of thing.” 

“You really want that?” Tony’s eyebrows lifted as his inner Pepper got a lot quieter. She’d told him to keep this romantic and not about inventions and such, but if that’s what Bucky wanted, he couldn’t exactly say no. 

“I would like that,” Bucky nodded, pleased with himself, and actually curious about this workshop Tony disappeared into. “I mean, maybe I can help you. Somehow.” 

“I’m sure you could,” Tony said encouragingly, wondering if he should take Bucky by the arm before he told himself to just do it. Stepping beside Bucky, he offered his arm and a smile. “Shall we?” 

“S-sure…” Bucky blushed, lacing his arm through Tony’s, his cheeks burning brightly as he leaned against him a little. He couldn’t believe he was here, on the King’s arm, about to spend the evening with him. 

“Don’t be nervous, Bucky, you’re doing great,” Tony hoped that wouldn’t make Bucky feel embarrassed or put on the spot, he truly did just want the other man to relax. “I know this is new for you, this is new for me too. I wish I could automatically make this easier.”

“It’s…I usually don’t talk to others much, people don’t bother with me,” Bucky admitted, not knowing if that was good or bad for playing mysterious. He was starting to wonder if he had any idea how to do that at all. 

“I don’t mean to be rude, but…why?” Tony asked, leading Bucky down the corridor towards his workshop. “Is it the arm? Because that would be really stupid. You can’t catch arm loss.” 

“Yeah, they don’t want to look at it either though,” Bucky laughed dryly, peeking out the side of his eye to look at Tony. Gods, he was handsome. “I keep it pretty covered though.” 

“Why? It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Tony smiled as their eyes met, having caught Bucky looking at him, and vice versa. “I mean it. You don’t think you have a disadvantage with me because of that, do you?” 

“I-I kind of…I kind of assumed…” Bucky admitted quietly, his eyes dropping to the floor, unable to help being embarrassed by his disability. “Not that I thought badly of you, I just…” Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment. “I don’t know how to think otherwise.” 

“Then we’ll have do teach you,” Tony replied, putting his other hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “I promise you, I’d never hold something like that against you.” 

“Th-thanks,” Bucky pursed his lips, feeling a lump in his throat that he took a deep breath in through his nostrils. He wanted to sound more genuine, more passionate, like he truly meant that thanks from the bottom of his heart. Most of all, he wished his voice hadn’t cracked. 

“You’re welcome,” Tony said as he lead Bucky up to a door at the end of the hall, slipping his key into the lock and turning it. Opening the heavy door, he picked up a lantern hanging up on the wall, and turned to look at Bucky. “Are you sure you want to go in there? I’m going to bore you.” 

“I definitely want to go in there, and you can’t bore me,” Bucky chuckled, relaxing a little after the tension of their last conversation. “It does look kind of creepy, though. Mostly because of the dark.” 

“It’ll get lighter soon,” Tony laughed as he led Bucky down the stone stairs, holding the lantern in front of him. When he got to the bottom, he let go of Bucky to approach a large wood ring covered in oil lamps. Lighting each one, he placed a glass sleeve around them before pulling a rope, sending the whole thing skyward with a pulley. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to send light through the whole room. 

“Oh gods…” Bucky gasped, looking around the stone room, particularly the pages of paper stuck all over the walls covered in designs. Over in the corner was what looked like a furnace for smelting, next to piles of different shapes of wood. And In the middle of it all was a huge desk covered in lamps, pieces of what he had assumed were metal scattered across it, along with a few partially finished projects. 

“Is that good or bad?” Tony asked as he lit up the lanterns on his desk, setting the last one down as he went back over to take Bucky by the arm, taking him to a bookcase full of what looked to Bucky like mostly toys. “These are most of my creations.” 

“What do they do?” Bucky asked, looking at them all, not sure if he should touch them or not. On closer inspection, they didn’t look like the toys he was used to seeing. 

“This one…” Tony picked up a wood man, turning a little wind up mechanism before putting it back on the shelf. Immediately, it began to shuffle across the shelf on its short legs, making little clicking noises. “It’s supposed to be a marching soldier, he’s had a few too many drinks or something. He used to fall over a lot. It’s a prototype.” 

“He’s cool, I like him, does he have a name?” Bucky leaned in, watching him with delight, reaching up to poke him when he stopped. “What’s a prototype? Is that what this kind of creation is called?” 

“No, a prototype means it’s the first of it’s kind,” Tony explained patiently with a warm smile, winding up a dog next, who wagged his tail and laid down. “And his name is Billy, actually, I’ve never told anyone else that before.” 

“Why not?” Bucky cocked his head, looking back to Tony. 

“No one’s ever asked,” Tony replied, smiling genuinely as their eyes met again. He wished it was brighter in here, he wanted to see every shade of blue in Bucky’s irises. “Just because I’m important doesn’t mean anyone really cares. I mean, Pepper cares, but she kind of has to. I don’t know what she’d do if I told her she was free, I mean, she might stay out of some sense of loyalty but…” Tony put his hand on Bucky’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. 

“I know what it’s like to feel like people don’t care,” Bucky said softly, not caring about personas and winning that way any more. He wanted to win because Tony liked him, he hadn’t realized how much that meant to him before this moment. “After my family died, all I really have now is Natasha. She’s my best friend in the world, and she’s the only person who really cares what happens to me. She’s the one that bought the ticket, actually, so you can thank her for me being here.” 

“I will thank her, then,” Tony nodded, wondering just how personal they should be getting right now. She knew Pepper wanted him to keep it light and friendly, but this felt a lot more important. “What happened to your family? Can I ask that?” 

“Yeah, it’s okay,” Bucky sighed, looking back to the little dog on the shelf, wondering if he could make it wag its tail again. Maybe not right now. “My father died when I was a small kid, I don’t remember him at all. My mom and sister, though, they…they got sick one winter. My mom couldn’t work, and we were thrown out onto the street, and they were just so sick…” 

“I’m sorry,” Tony whispered, watching as Bucky’s gaze seemed to drift off, knowing that the pain of their death weighed heavy on him. “How old were you?” 

“Nine,” Bucky said softly, letting out a deep breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Rebecca was seven, and I don’t know how old my mom was. I feel bad about that.” 

“You shouldn’t. I’m sure she’d rather you remember her for more than how old she was,” Tony put a hand on Bucky’s back to comfort him. “I lost my parents when I was young, too. But it’s not really the same, I still had a home, people around me. Don’t think I’m trying to compare us.”

“I…I had the Rogerses at least,” Bucky admitted, figuring their past was bound to pop up here and there. He might as well be forthright with it. “Sarah was kind of like a second mom to me. It really hurt me when…when things went bad.” 

“I’m sorry,” frowned Tony, swallowing hard. “Is it hard for you to be here around them? I didn’t mean to…I mean, how could I have known, but…you know what I’m trying to say.” 

“It was hard at first, it’s fine now,” Bucky said, realizing that it was true as the words crossed his lips. He was getting used to Steve being around, and it was nice to see Sarah again, though he didn’t like distancing himself from her. He never blamed her for what happened. “Really, don’t worry about me, I like it here. It’s so much better than I thought my life could possibly be.” 

“Good, I’m glad,” Tony relaxed, standing a little closer to Bucky as he turned back to the shelf. Time to lighten the mood again. “Do you want to see me wind the rest of these up?” 

“I’d love to,” Bucky grinned, his heart skipping a beat as Tony’s fingers slid across the small of his back, moving to pick up another music box. He wasn’t sure what he liked more, the clever inventions, or the wonderful company, but he knew there’d be a clear winner by the end of the evening. 

Bucky Barnes was smitten. 

When Steve heard the knock on the door to the suite he shared with his mother, he gave her a nervous look and slowly got to his feet. Smoothing out the wrinkles from his clothes, he ran his hands over his hair, taking a few deep breaths before sliding his fingers around the knob. He could do this, there was nothing to be nervous about, he just had his entire life hanging in the balance. 

“Tony, hello,” Steve said as casually as he could manage when he opened the door and came face to face with the King. He knew the man was coming, but that didn’t mean he was prepared in any way. He’d spent most of the day pacing nervously. 

“And hello to you too, Steve,” Tony grinned, bringing out his hand from behind his back, holding a long, flat box. “I come with gifts.” 

“Thank you very much,” Steve said graciously, taking the box from him, opening it to reveal a paintbrush finer than anything Steve had ever seen in his life. “Oh my gods, this is…this is beautiful. So much better than anything I’ve used. Thank you again.” 

“That’s only part of the present, the rest is where we’re going tonight,” Tony was pleased with himself. He didn’t know much about art, but he’d been asking around a lot since he found out that Steve was into it. “Are you ready?” 

“I am, lead the way,” Steve put the brush back into the box, setting it on a small table beside the doorway, figuring he didn’t need to take it with him. Taking the arm Tony had offered him, Steve mentally ordered himself not to sweat or trip or do anything equally embarrassing. 

“How was your day? How do you like it here?” Tony asked curiously, knowing that Steve hadn’t asked Pepper for much in the way of things to do or have. “You know, you can ask us for anything, you don’t have to hold back on our behalf.” 

“It’s not so much that, it’s that, well…” Steve laughed nervously, licking his lips. “I’ve never been the type of person to ask for a lot.” Especially after what happened to Bucky, Steve didn’t want anyone to have to make a sacrifice for him ever again. 

“See, I’ve noticed that,” Tony said, turning to look at Steve, trying to smile and ease his anxiety. “This is your home now, though, I don’t want you to be afraid to ask for anything you need.” 

“I’ll try to remember that,” Steve said with a nod, sure that Tony wasn’t chastising him or anything, it was just a gentle suggestion. Right?

“And wander more, if there’s an area you shouldn’t be in, the guards will tell you,” Tony added as he gave Steve’s arm a squeeze, hoping he could get the man to open up more. “There aren’t many areas like that, they might not let you in the armoury, and Strange doesn’t like being bothered in his tower, but other than that it’s pretty much open.” 

“That’s understandable,” Steve nodded again, not really wanting to check out the weapons or wizard anyway. “This is all kind of intimidating. Not you, you’ve been very gracious, but just being here.”

“I’m glad I’m not intimidating, I’d have to rethink my entire personality,” Tony laughed, taking a left down another hallway. “I don’t want to be an overbearing King, I want to be someone that people aren’t afraid to approach. It’s something I want in a husband as well.”

“I mean, I don’t think I’d frighten people,” Steve stammered, wondering if that was a cue for him to talk or not. “I wouldn’t want to make anyone feel bad in any way. As a soldier, I always just try to stop violence, not make more. Most of my job was bringing people home so they wouldn’t get in more trouble.” 

“You sound a lot better than most of the soldiers out there,” said Tony, unable to picture Steve as being a bully. He seemed gentler and more peaceful than the others Tony had known in that profession, and he was thrilled for that. The last person he wanted to marry was an asshole who beat up people for fun. 

“I’m not alone, there are a lot of good men in that profession,” Steve felt like he should stick up for at least some of his coworkers, or former coworkers if this went well. “Like Sam, he’s a great friend and one of the nicest people out there.” 

“Is he the one that you hired as your personal guard? How’s that going?” Tony asked, having not looked into that to make sure it happened. He trusted Pepper could make it happen easier than he could. 

“It’s going well, you missed him by minutes, but I told him to go eat and relax,” Steve said, wondering where they were going just as they came to a halt in front of a non descript door. “Which room is this?” 

“This is a room you’re really going to like,” Tony said as he let go of Steve’s arm, opening the door and gesturing for him to come in. “I hope so, anyway.” 

“I’m sure I will, I-“ Steve stepped forward into the room, not sure what to expect when he saw easels set up around the room, shelves lining the walls covered in paints and supplies. Hanging on the walls were countless paintings, works of art that varied from portraits of Tony to images of nature. This was a professional studio, though whose he didn’t know, but his fingers were itching to touch everything in the room. 

“What do you think?” Tony queried, closing the door behind them, a mix of candle and moonlight illuminating the large room. 

“I think it’s beautiful, it’s so…” Steve was at a loss for words, not sure what he should say. He still didn’t know exactly what Tony had in mind, but he was sure he could guess. “Who works in here?” 

“Our court artist, Janet Van Dyne, and now you,” Tony grinned, excited for Steve and Janet to meet. “She’s wonderful, you’ll like her a lot, but she says she’s happy to share her space and supplies with a fellow artist.”

“That’s…that’s so generous. Thank you,” Steve turned himself in a circle looking at everything in the room. He couldn’t believe how much paint she had, he’d always dreamed of painting something himself. There was no way he could have afforded to before now. “Thank you so much, I can’t say that enough.” 

“Maybe that will get you out of your room more often,” laughed Tony, delighted in how wide Steve’s eyes were as he looked around. Obviously Steve liked it, and he couldn’t ask for a better reaction than this. 

“I’m going to be here first thing in the morning,” Steve chuckled himself, though he didn’t sound quite as relaxed as Tony. He was so excited, he’d end up making himself a bit tense. 

“What do you think you’re going to paint?” Tony walked over to Steve as the man began to explore his new studio space. 

“I…I have no idea…” Steve said, though he couldn’t help thinking he wished he could paint Bucky the way he remembered him. Smiling, laughing, the Bucky he’d loved. But it might be awkward if the first thing he did was a portrait of his rival. “I don’t know much about painting, I should probably start with something easy.” 

“There’s a table right there, Janet uses it for whatever she’s modeling,” Tony moved past Steve, going over to the table and sitting on the corner. “We can bring in furniture, people, whatever you want. Animals maybe, though I don’t know how still they are.” 

“Who would I talk to about that?” Steve asked, wondering if he should start with something like an apple rather than jumping right to an animal. 

“Ask Janet, she’ll know,” Tony smiled, genuinely thrilled that Steve was going to be happier here now. He wanted him to think that the whole castle was going to be his home, not just a few rooms. “And bring your mother, there’s no reason why you can’t, I don’t think Janet keeps this place too secretive.”

“She’d like that…” Steve’s eyes met Tony’s and he returned the grin, a warm feeling spreading in his chest. Gods, he was so happy to actually explore his artistic talents, to have the time and the materials, this was an amazing gift. After Bucky’s sacrifice for Steve’s health, it was the greatest thing he’d been given. 

“So can I expect a picture of me? I hate doing sittings, but I actually would for you if you wanted me to,” Tony offered, shrugging a little, not sure if he should offer himself up for that but going for it anyway. 

“Tell you what, wait until I know what I’m doing so I don’t waste your time,” Steve’s cheeks flushed, realizing what a chance he had for some private alone time with Tony. “I’m going to work on it so hopefully that won’t be too far away.” 

“I believe in you,” Tony said to him, clasping his hands in front of him as he looked at Steve, admiring how handsome he was. This competition couldn’t be on looks alone, though, because it would end in a stalemate. “And if there’s anything you don’t know how to do, Janet said she’d teach you.” 

“She sounds really nice,” Steve was eager to meet her, but not right now. Right now was all about him and Tony, and he was enjoying himself. “And I’m flattered that you believe in me. You haven’t even seen my art and you’re willing to give me so much.” 

“I don’t think art is about quality as much as it is the process,” Tony tented his fingers, crossing his legs casually. “I don’t care how much the picture you paint looks like me. I care that you took the time to do it.” 

“I’ve…I’ve never thought of it like that,” Steve stammered, taking a deep breath in as he thought about everything he’d drawn to that point. He’d always gotten frustrated with the flaws in his work, but maybe he should be thinking about how that just made him unique instead. “Is that what you tell yourself when you work on your inventions?” 

“I probably should, but I don’t quite consider that art,” Tony shrugged a little, pursing his lips. “Maybe I should, but if I make something and it doesn’t work, I get disappointed. I want everything to work the way it does in my brain, I give myself a hard time when my hands can’t copy that. That…that honestly doesn’t happen as much any more though, I’ve gotten pretty good at making little creations.” 

“What do you want to do with them?” Steve asked, realizing he’d never talked to Tony about his interests much. 

“I don’t know yet…” Tony trailed off, looking over at the wall at a picture of him posed with a greyhound. He hated that picture, mostly because the dog bit him afterwards. “I feel like I’ll know when the time is right, but for now, I have to keep perfecting my craft.”

“That sounds like more than a hobby, that sounds like a calling,” Steve’s eyes moved up to what Tony was looking at, smiling a little at the painting. 

“You…you could call it that,” Tony admitted, impressed with Steve’s perception, and preparing his new defense next time someone told him peasants were stupid. “I have to be honest with you here, and I probably shouldn’t be but…I hate being King. I hate all the court nonsense, the gossiping, the power hungry…fuck. It’s terrible, and I might be bringing you into a life you’re going to hate, but I absolutely can’t attach myself to any of those people.”

“So that’s why you did the lottery? Because you wanted to marry a peasant?” Steve asked, raising an eyebrow, shocked to hear all of this. This wasn’t what his view of Tony was at all, but he had to say he liked what he was hearing. 

“Basically,” Tony admitted, figuring there was no need to hold back now. “But it worked out a lot better than I thought it would, I’ll admit. I didn’t know who I was going to end up with but…you two have to be the best candidates out there.”

“Maybe the gods worked in your favour that night,” Steve blushed at the compliment, delighted that Tony both him and Bucky. He couldn’t help but feel protective over his old friend. 

“Something definitely did,” Tony’s lips stretched into a wide smile at the pink tinge on Steve’s cheeks, pretty sure his own matched. 

Steve’s face ached as he couldn’t wipe the grin off of it, his heart skipping in his chest like it hadn’t in years. He’d thought Bucky was the only one for him for so long, he’d never opened up the possibility of being with someone else. But Tony was amazing, he was smart and thoughtful, and he was more complex and wonderful than Steve had dreamed he could be. 

Steve Rogers had a crush.


	9. Problems Made and Solved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony frets about his situation to his best friend, and Steve and Bucky finally talk.

As James “Rhodey” Rhodes made his way through the castle, he leaned on the polished wood cane the King had gifted him after a jousting accident. The pain wasn’t bad as long as he had that, though it had taken some getting used to. He was impressed that Tony had felt guilty enough about what happened to carve him his own custom cane. He didn’t blame Tony for the accident, he’d chosen to be there, it was just poor luck that saw the King’s lance striking him as it did. It was part of the risk of being a knight, something he accepted long before he was injured. 

Walking into the courtyard, he was surprised to see Tony outside, even if the man had sent word to meet him there. He was used to seeing Tony in his workshop at this time of the day, or maybe in the throne room if he was being forced to be more hands on. He wasn’t going to complain, though the lack of a table likely meant they wouldn’t be sharing a drink together. Pity, he already knew he was going to need one. 

“There you are, I was wondering if you’d gotten lost or something,” Tony said as he looked over, watching as his friend walked closer. Moving over on the ornate bench, he cleared space for Rhodey to sit as his side. “Did anyone see you come?” 

“Did anyone…Tony, are you drunk?” Rhodey asked as he took a seat next to him, planting his cane between his feet and lacing his fingers over the handle. “It’s a castle, it’s your castle, I probably saw about twenty people on my way here.”

“Did you see my Uncle, though?” Tony was more urgent that time, chewing on his lip nervously. 

“No, no I didn’t,” Rhodey shook his head, really wondering what had got into his friend. “Was I supposed to watch for him? I was just told to come here after lunch to meet you.” 

“I couldn’t tell Pepper to tell you to watch for him because she’s kind of helping him,” Tony explained, not sounding any less insane to Rhodey. “They’re driving me insane, I can’t avoid them, it’s like they’re tracking me.” 

“Okay, what’s going on?” Rhodey said finally, needing to get caught up on this before he lost his mind trying to figure it out. 

“My birthday is coming up, it’s in a month, and I’m not married yet,” Tony explained, turning his body to face Rhodey. “They’re saying I have to choose now between Steve and Bucky, and I have to have this wedding pretty much immediately. Pepper has already planned everything, they’re going to start decorating the chapel.” 

“Okay, so…what exactly is the problem? You don’t like them?” Rhodey realized he hadn’t discussed them with Tony since they came to the castle a fortnight ago. He’d figured Tony would be able to pick one in that amount of time, though, he didn’t usually seem very selective when choosing lovers. 

“I like them both. Way too much,” Tony admitted after a moment, his brow furrowed as he frowned. “I can’t choose one, there’s no way. They’re both so clever and sweet and I want to know everything about them.”

“I’m guessing you don’t like on a tiny bit more than the other…” Rhodey could see the conflict in Tony’s expression, he knew this wasn’t some shallow decision for him. He was taking this choice very seriously, and Rhodey had to say he was proud of him for it. 

“No, I like them for the same reasons in some cases, and different reasons in others, they’re just like…they’re a balance,” Tony laughed weakly, rubbing his forehead, wishing this was somehow easier. Though at the same time, he wouldn’t have wanted things to happen any other way. 

“Tony, I can’t tell you which one to choose, I don’t know what will make you the happiest,” Rhodey sighed, feeling useless that he couldn’t help Tony, but he really had no clue how he could. “What does your heart say?” 

“My heart says to take them both…” Tony said after a moment, conceding the truth to Rhodey that he’d been afraid to tell himself. “Rhodey, that can’t be the right answer, no one would allow that.” 

“So what? Tell them to fuck off, it’s your life,” Rhodey shrugged, not really knowing what else to say. “You’re the King, who’s telling you that you can’t have two husbands.” 

“Well, for one, I don’t know if they’d go for that, one kind of hates the other,” Tony grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest before leaning back, looking up at the sky. “And I’m pretty sure my Uncle’s head would explode. He had a hard enough time with me just doing this lottery, then he was furious when two people were picked, now…” 

“You’re a grown man, Tony, and King. What’s he going to do to you?” asked Rhodey, looking over at some gardeners pruning the roses. Tony definitely picked a nice place to meet, he’d have to suggest this again in the future. 

“I don’t know, I just…how can that work?” Tony pressed his lips shut, not wanting to be quite that loud. He doubted anyone was listening to them, but he still didn’t want to be overheard. “How can a marriage of three people work? How can three people rule over the Kingdom?” 

“I don’t know, I definitely don’t have those answers for you,” Rhodey reached over, touching his friend’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “All I know is if you really want this, you should fight for it. You can change laws, remember? If anyone can sort all of this, you can.” 

“It’s a lot of work and not a lot of time. If I’m doing this, I have to decide to do it now so I can start everything. I don’t have time to hesitate.” 

“Then don’t hesitate.” 

“How do I bring it up with them though? Bucky hates Steve, am I damning him to sleep in the same bed or room or…I mean, three people can fit in a bed, but I don’t think Bucky would like it,” Tony shook his head, letting out a long breath as he brought his hands back up to his hair. 

“I don’t know, give them separate rooms with an adjoining door,” Rhodey shrugged as he said the first thing that came to mind. “That way you can go back and forth and you can split your time between them evenly. I would just really hope that they’re not the jealous types.” 

“See, what if they are? I don’t know,” Tony closed his eyes, trying to will himself into distressing, but not doing a great job of it. “I don’t even know how to bring it up with them.”

“I think you’re going to have to find a way,” Rhodey turned his body more to face Tony, keeping a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You’re not going to be happy if you lose one of them, are you? Maybe by telling them this, one will walk away anyway, and you’ll know it wasn’t meant to be.”

“But what if they both walk away?” Tony asked, having thought of that possibility as well. “What if they both only agree because…because I’m King, and they want this life? What if they’re agreeing so they can be with me, but they’re actually miserable?”

“Tony, you already know you’re in a position of power over them. You’re royalty, and they’re only here because you’ve invited them,” Rhodey sighed softly, hoping he was getting his point across without upsetting Tony or making his problems worse. “Whatever you do, they have to answer to you, so get that out of your head because there’s not a lot you can do about it.” 

“That doesn’t help,” Tony said dryly, his shoulders wilting as he pressed his brow into his palm. “I want them to say yes to this because they really like me and they think this can work.” 

“That’s a possibility, it really can be, just know you have to be honest with yourself going into this conversation,” Rhodey took his hand back away from Tony, placing it back on the handle of his cane. “And you have to think about what you want to say, what you need them to know. It’s not something you should rush into.” 

“I have like a week,” Tony’s voice was small as he brought his other hand up to his face, covering both eyes and slouching forward. “I’m getting married in eight days, and I have to have them ready to go for it to.” 

“Oh, well then,” Rhodey took a deep breath in, holding it as he tried to think. “Maybe you should sleep on it and talk to them tomorrow? I’m sure you can come up with everything you need to by then.”

“You’re not much help, Rhodey,” Tony said flatly, leaning back against the bench as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Well excuse me for not brushing up on my polygamy lessons before meeting with you today,” Rhodey shrugged again, at a loss for what to say. Usually Tony liked his advice, he felt bad letting him down today. “Tony, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. What will happen if they do leave?” 

“That doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence,” Tony grumbled, his mind playing every single scenario where one or both of them stomped out on him. “If they leave, I marry someone of my Uncle’s choice.”

“And how bad is that?” Rhodey asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“You have no idea,” Tony replied, slumping down as the pressure of the situation ripped at his heart inside his chest. The chances of this working were slim, but he couldn’t lose them, he couldn’t live his life knowing he didn’t ask. Even the thought of it being a possibility in his head made his heart sing, but his brain was quick to quiet it. He had no idea whether to be optimistic or pessimistic, he was torn.

He was going to have to do this, just as soon as he worked up the courage. 

Steve didn’t know how he was going to do this. 

Standing in front of Bucky’s door between his guards, he raised his hand for the tenth time to knock on it, only to pull it back as if the wood was going to burn him. He’d felt like that before, back when Bucky gave his arm for the elixir that gave him strength and health. Every single time he went to talk to his friend, he couldn’t bring himself to, and what had it cost him? He didn’t want history to repeat itself, though, he truly wanted to do this. He just didn’t want it to blow up in his face, though even he admitted he deserved no less. 

Raising his hand to knock again, Steve bit down on his bottom lip, mentally willing himself to rap his knuckles against it. Squeezing his fist tight, he took a long breath in, wincing as his wrist flexed, causing a singular strike of his index knuckle against the wood surface. It was pathetic, but there was a chance it was at least heard inside. 

“Do you think that was enough?” he asked one of the guards softly.

“I’d knock again just to be sure, sir,” the guard replied. 

“Yeah, I guess I should,” sighed Steve, bringing his hand up to try knocking again, maybe better this time, when the door opened and Natasha appeared before him. Dropping his hand back down, he clasped them behind himself nervously, forcing a smile. “Hi, uhm…is Bucky around?” 

“You’re asking to speak to Bucky,” Natasha said, very much a statement and not a question. “Are you trying to make him angry? I mean, I know we have this truce and all, but you should go through me, not him.”

“I’m not talking to Bucky about that, or I don’t want to anyway,” Steve clarified, not sure if he was even going to get a chance here. Natasha was a scary woman, he was pretty sure she could rip his heart out without breaking a sweat. “I want to talk to Bucky about the past. Our past.” 

“He’s never really wanted to talk about that,” Natasha said, keeping her arm across the door, not moving an inch. “You have to understand that I’m not about to let you hurt him.” 

“I’m not trying to hurt him, I’m trying to heal us both,” Steve replied to her, not backing down from his spot, even if it looked like he really should. “I want to make things better between us, so we don’t have this tension. We were best friends pretty much all our lives, we shouldn’t be like this now.”

“You WERE best friends,” Natasha stood up taller, hand on her hip. “Then you took his arm and abandoned him.” 

“That wasn’t what I was trying to do, I was trying…” Steve opened his mouth to try to defend his horrible actions when Bucky came to the door behind Natasha. “Bucky, hi…I mean, James. Hi, James.” 

Bucky didn’t reply, he only looked Steve up and down once before he looked at Natasha and nodded briefly. Natasha didn’t move for a moment, giving Steve one hell of an “I’ll cut you if you wrong him” look before stepping to the side. 

“Come in. But I can hear you wherever you are in this suite,” Natasha warned Steve as she backed off, going to take a seat, crossing her arms and legs.

“Duly noted,” Steve said with a nod, following Bucky who had walked into his bedroom, hoping that they could have at least some privacy. Stepping into Bucky’s room, he watched as his former friend took a seat on the edge of the bed, purposely avoiding eye contact. “…James.” 

“I hate being called that, you know it,” Bucky snorted, looking down at his hand in his lap. 

“I know, I…I don’t feel like I’ve earned the right to call you anything else,” Steve said, clearing his throat and looking around the room. “I want to call you Bucky more than anything. I miss calling you Buck when I was trying to be kind of serious. You always smiled at me when I called you that…” 

“Please don’t drag the past into this,” Bucky said softly, closing his eyes. 

“The past is part of this, James,” Steve took a step closer, carefully, looking for any reaction from Bucky. “I fucked up. I fucked up so big.”

“Is that what you call it?” Bucky asked flatly. 

“There aren’t actual words for what I did, I’m sorry, that’s as good as I can come up with,” Steve frowned, his shoulders sagging. “I had you, we had each other, it was fucking perfect and I destroyed everything. You lost your arm because of me.” 

“I did,” Bucky said affirmatively, nodding a little. 

“I can’t give that back, I can’t give you the time I didn’t come crawling to you apologizing back either,” Steve said, watching Bucky, looking for any sign of the mercy he didn’t deserve. “I don’t know what I can give you, Bucky, but I want to do something. Please tell me what I can do. You can hit me, you can kick me, you can tell me off, anything.” 

“Would you walk away from this contest for me?” Bucky queried, looking right up at him, making eye contact. “Would you walk away from marrying Tony if it meant my forgiveness? Would you sacrifice that for me?” 

“Yes,” Steve said without a moment of hesitation, knowing in that moment that he truly meant it. He would figure out something to help his mother so she didn’t have to work so hard, but he would give up this beautiful life to apologize to Bucky. “It’s the least I could do. Is that what you want?” 

“What about your mom?” Bucky knew exactly what Steve was thinking about, he knew him well enough, even with a few years of silence between them. 

“I’d figure out something,” Steve nodded, trying to keep emotion from seeping into his facial expression. He didn’t want Bucky to know he had any reason to hesitate in his decision. 

“I mean, she was pretty much my mom, I could keep her here,” Bucky shrugged, tilting his head as he kept his eyes on Steve, waiting for him to say he couldn’t give this up. 

“You could, I’d appreciate that,” Steve said, taking a deep breath to push down his crushing disappointment at giving up both his art and Tony. “So…is it a deal then?” 

“What? No,” Bucky scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I don’t want to beat you because you gave up, I want to beat you because he loves me more. I’ll still keep your mom here if I win though, if you’re worried about that.” 

“Would you? Oh gods, thank you,” Steve exhaled, leaning against the side of the fireplace, relief washing over him. Now this could just be about his feelings and what he wanted, he didn’t have to worry about his mother any more. 

“I’m not an asshole, I love Sarah, she deserves this life,” Bucky reached up to tuck a piece of hair behind his ear, looking over at Steve but only managing to focus on his legs. 

“So do you, and as much as I like Tony, I never stopped loving you,” Steve admitted, smiling a little at the shocked look on Bucky’s face. The other man hadn’t quite expected to hear him say that. “I would give this up if it made you happy, any day of the week. I would do anything for you. I was stupid and scared back then, but I’m hoping I’m a better man now. A man that can make things better between us.” 

“Do you know how I felt that day? When that weird fucking asshole drugged me and I woke up with one arm?” Bucky asked as he brought his eyes up to meet Steve’s, not realizing he was frowning. 

“I can’t imagine…” Steve shook his head, the guilt rising in his stomach again. “I remember waking up next to you and being like this and…you just looked so small and pale. I was so scared you were going to die.” 

“It felt like…like everything in my life changed in a moment,” Bucky said, his hand gripping his thigh as the familiar ache gnawed at his heart. “I couldn’t be a soldier like we planned, I couldn’t even be a good apprentice anywhere, everything took two hands. So now I herd goats and steal from people who can work.” 

“You-?” 

“Yeah, I’m a thief. So is Natasha. I didn’t have much choice.”

“I’m not judging you,” Steve promised him, feeling worse that Bucky was pushed to such extremes. He had never dreamed things were so bad for him. 

“And on top of it, I lost you,” Bucky laughed weakly, leaning forward, letting his head hang down. “I thought you couldn’t stand to look at me because I was so ugly, and you were so strong and tall all of a sudden. I thought you’d be getting attention from all the beautiful men and women and you wouldn’t want my gross, armless ass around.” 

“Oh gods no! Of course not, no!” Steve rushed forward, though he stopped within arms distance to Bucky, not knowing if he should close that space. “You’re not gross or ugly at all, you’re incredibly gorgeous. Moreso than you were back then, you’ve grown into your looks like…gods, I can’t stop looking at you.” 

“Then why did you make me think that?” Bucky was fighting a losing battle against himself as tears began to rise in his eyes, the lump in his throat getting bigger. “Why did you leave me when I needed you most? Why did you…?” 

Steve felt his own emotions bubbling up as he watched Bucky cry into his hand, finally stepping forward to take a seat next to him. Putting his arm around Bucky’s shoulders, he pulled him in close, hugging him as tightly as he could. He didn’t ever want to let him go again. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” Steve sniffed, unaware that he was crying until he felt the tears running down his cheeks. “I didn’t mean to push you away, I was stupid and scared, but that’s no excuse. I fucking love you and I still let you down.” 

“I was so scared…” Bucky wept brokenly, curling up against Steve, holding onto him with his one arm. “I just wanted you.” 

“I’m here now. I know it’s too late, but I’m here now, I promise you,” Steve pledged to Bucky, fingers gripping the black material of his clothes. “I’m not going anywhere, I’m not-“

Steve wasn’t prepared for Bucky to turn his head towards him, gasping a little as their lips brushed. When Bucky didn’t pull away, however, Steve decided to ignore the nervous voices in his head and take the plunge. Pressing his lips tightly against Bucky’s, Steve closed his eyes and moaned softly, melting in the familiar embrace. Kissing Bucky was like coming home; he’d missed this more than words could say. 

“…Steve…” Bucky whispered as the kiss broke. 

“So can I call you Bucky again?” Steve asked, laughing breathlessly as he pressed their foreheads together. “Can I tell you I love you again?” 

“We can’t be together,” said Bucky with sad finality, looking up at Steve. “One of us is going to be promised to Tony.” 

“But…” Steve opened his mouth, closing it again, feeling like he’d been punched in the stomach. 

“We have do to this, Natasha and your mom deserve a good life,” Bucky’s voice trembled as he snuggled tighter against Steve. “I could live in a shack with you if it was just us, I wouldn’t care, but it’s not.” 

“I think you’re right,” Steve replied sadly after a few seconds, rubbing Bucky’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I waited so long to apologize. I’m sorry we didn’t do this ages ago.” 

“Don’t beat yourself up any more,” said Bucky, burying his face against Steve’s neck, closing his eyes. “…let’s not talk about that any more, or Tony…let’s just sit like this for now. Let’s just pretend everything is going to be okay.” 

“We can do that,” Steve whispered, not bothering to wipe the tears from his eyes as he leaned his head against Bucky’s. “I love you, Buck.” 

“I love you too…” Bucky murmured in reply, not moving an inch.


	10. Good News and Bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony admits everything to Steve and Bucky, and Stane does some planning of his own.

Tony had already thrown up twice that afternoon, and he was going for a third if his stomach didn’t hurry up and calm down. He’d tried having a few drinks, but that had only made the few handfuls of nuts he’d managed to choke down come up even faster. He’d even tried going to his workshop to try to cool down and concentrate on something else, but when he struck an iron ring and it split into three, he knew he couldn’t be there now either. Pacing through the castle avoiding his uncle and Pepper did little to calm his nerves either, each minute passed like a century. It was like five o’clock would never come. 

And suddenly it did, and he didn’t know what to do with himself. 

Sitting in a chair in his study, Tony coached himself through each breath, his fingers biting into the plush armrests. When there came a knock at the door, he was so tense he almost came flying out of his chair. Panting, he got himself seated again, reaching up to straighten his hair with shaking hands. 

“Come in…” he said, his voice cracking as he got himself settled. 

As Steve and Bucky walked into the room together, Tony felt like his heart was going to leap out of his chest. Just looking at the two of them, he wanted to reach out and pull them both close, beg them not to leave him when he told them what he was about to. He just kept imagining them storming out of the room, slamming the door behind them, leaving him to a life with Victor Von Doom. 

“You wanted to speak to us?” Steve asked, a bit surprised to see that Bucky was there as well, though he wasn’t upset about it. The two had met in the hall outside, and, guessing what the meeting was about, had wished each other luck before coming in. 

“Are you alright?” Bucky frowned, watching as Tony tried again to straighten his hair. “Is this a bad time? We can come back.” 

“No, please don’t leave, I don’t…” Tony got to his feet in a hurry, fumbling with his hands before he finally put them behind him. “I don’t think I’d have the nerve to call you back in here if you went.” 

“So this is about your choice...” Steve murmured, looking over at Bucky, and then back to Tony as his heart ached in his chest. He wanted to give this to Bucky more than anything, but he knew he’d be too proud to just take it. 

“It is,” Tony nodded, standing motionless for a moment before turning around to a table next to him. Taking the stopper out of an enormous crystal bottle, he poured three glasses of whiskey, one glass nearly overflowing. Handing out the two lesser filled glasses to his guests, he took the full one for himself. 

“I have to ask, was it an easy decision?” Bucky looked down at the amber liquid, feeling no desire to drink it at the moment. He was too afraid it would come back up.

“Oh gods no. No no no…” Tony shook his head, feeling like he was going to start crying again as he took a healthy gulp of whiskey. “Not at all, I’ve been…fuck.” 

“But you have made a decision?” Steve felt sick, he really didn’t want to do this. Either way, he was saying goodbye to Bucky, and as much as he really liked Tony, that would hurt way too much. 

“I have,” Tony exhaled, taking another drink before turning around and just grabbing the entire whiskey bottle for himself. 

“Are you going to tell us?” Bucky’s voice was barely above a whisper as he leaned forward. Everything in him was telling him to grab onto Steve, but he couldn’t force himself to move. 

“I’m…I’m sorry, I’m having a hard time with that,” said Tony, his voice shaking along with the rest of him as he looked between them. Fuck, this was going to end so badly, why did he ever think this was a possibility? Why did he think he could be happy?

“It’s a big choice,” Steve acknowledged, but he too was running out of patience. “But I think you’d feel better if you just told us, Tony. Keeping it in is just driving all three of us insane.” 

“Yeah,” Bucky added, looking down at the clenched fist at his side, specifically his twitching thumb. He didn’t know how much more of this drinking and procrastinating he could take. 

“You’re right, you’re both right,” Tony breathed out, letting out a short peal of manic laughter. “Okay, you’re both…you’re going to love this. You’re going to laugh and laugh and laugh-”

“Tony,” Steve interrupted sternly.

“Sorry. Sorry. Okay,” Tony tried to take another deep breath, mentally willing his heart to slow as he took another long drink of whiskey. “I have to be completely and totally honest. I didn’t think this would happen, I didn’t think when I did this lottery that I’d actually fall for someone, much less…I just didn’t think this was going to happen. I thought I’d have a friendly marriage, I thought it would be nice and easy, but this isn’t easy at all. This is the complete fucking opposite of that. This is-“

“Tony, you’re doing it again,” Steve interrupted again, pursing his lips together. “Just spit it out, man, you’re doing all our heads in.” 

“I fucking love you both!” Tony blurted, immediately tilting the whiskey bottle to empty down his throat as Steve and Bucky stared at him in utter shock. 

“What do…what do you mean?” Bucky queried, having almost dropped his glass to the floor as he forgot it was in his hand. “What do you…what’s going to happen? How can…?” 

“How does that work?” Steve asked, his ability to talk not quite leaving him like it had Bucky. 

“It means…” Okay, Tony, they didn’t run out of the room, and they didn’t tell you to fuck off, you can do this. “It means I want to marry you both. I want us all to be married. But you and Bucky don’t get along, you-“

Bucky did drop his glass at this point, though just as it shattered to pieces as his feet, he turned to wrap his arm around Steve. Burying his face against him, Bucky broke out into sobs, shaking all over as Tony’s words repeated in his head over and over. Both. He wanted them both. He was going to get to stay with Steve. 

“Can you marry us both?” Steve asked, handing Tony his glass and wrapping a strong arm around Bucky’s shoulders to pull him close. “Is this realistic? Can this actually happen?” 

“I haven’t found a reason why not yet and…” Tony gave them a quizzical look, trying to figure out what was going on exactly. He’d spent time with these two men at the same time before, at it usually involved more angry glaring and less comforting hugs. “You two want to tell me what’s going on?” 

“We…we ironed things out,” Steve said softly, rubbing Bucky’s back. “I apologized, we kissed, and then we realized that we were going to be separated forever anyway. Until now, that is. Until…” He blinked hard, his eyes misting up as the thought of being with Bucky and Tony forever hit so many emotions at once. 

“You’re not going to be, I promise you won’t be broken up,” Tony reassured him, laughing again, though there was some lightness to it. Wiping his eyes, he looked at Steve, feeling desperate at that moment to be a part of their embrace. “M-May I?” 

Steve didn’t hesitate, he opened his other arm, drawing Tony into the hug, pulling him against himself and Bucky. He felt the last of his own resolve slipping as he felt Tony’s lips press against his cheek as the older man held them close. In that moment, nothing could possibly work it’s way between them, they were three as one. It was as Tony had dreamed, and as Bucky and Steve didn’t realize they could have. 

“The wedding’s in six days, you two are going to have to get prettied up with new suits,” Tony said after they’d all had a moment to just take each other in. “I’m thinking you can both walk up the aisle arm in arm now that...well, now that I know you don’t hate each other.” 

“Seriously? I’m marrying…” Bucky closed his eyes, shaking his head as he couldn’t believe his luck in that moment. He’d resigned himself to being alone forever, but here he was with two soon to be husbands, and he didn’t think his heart could feel any fuller. 

“You’re going to be my husband, Buck, just like we’d always planned,” Steve laughed, delighted to see Bucky so happy. It had been a long time since he’d heard that tone in his voice, he’d thought it was long lost. “Only we will also be royalty, which we hadn’t planned. Tony, how’s this going to work? Will we be…also Kings?” 

“You will, but don’t feel bad, my vote still trumps yours,” Tony smiled, nuzzling Bucky’s head before pressing a kiss to it. “Not that I plan on voting against you in anything, you both seem to be pretty intelligent and thoughtful. Frankly, I think everyone should be thrilled there will be three Kings to get everything done. This is going to be much more productive.” 

“Why didn’t anyone think of this sooner?” chuckled Bucky, not wanting to move an inch from here. Both Tony and Steve were wrapped around him, and he’d never felt so warm in his life. 

“We’re going to be lauded as geniuses, the next great idea in royalty,” Tony was pretty drunk on top of being blissfully happy, and it was showing. “Fuck Von Doom, I never wanted to marry him for a second. Why would I want more land when I can have you two?’ 

“I’m glad you value us more than land,” Steve chuckled, looking at Tony and wondering if this would be a good moment to kiss him. He was so giddy he couldn’t think straight. “Sorry, I’m trying to figure out how to kiss you and I’m having trouble.” 

“Actually, we can’t. Not a lip to lip one, anyway,” Tony sighed, frustration in his voice as he looked Steve in the eye. “You two can’t either, we all have to go in this in a frustratingly virginal manner. I mean, I’m not one, but I can’t have slept with either of you. If you have slept together, don’t tell me.” 

“We won’t say a word,” Steve said, managing to keep a straight face, even if Bucky couldn’t. He could feel him smiling against his shoulder. “Hugging is okay though?” 

“I haven’t been told it’s not,” Tony shrugged, still giggling every time he remembered that they both wanted to marry him. He probably shouldn’t have drunk so much. “I’m going to tell Pepper about this and everything will get moving and we’ll have a wedding in six days.”

“That’s a long time not to kiss each other,” Bucky grumbled, though even he couldn’t keep from laughing again. “Seriously, what a stupid rule. Is that to make sure we do it on the wedding night or something?” 

“That would make sense,” Steve noted, though he wasn’t very happy about it. “I know it’s going to work, at least. I don’t see me wanting to let go either one of you that entire night.” 

“So it’s settled then, we’re getting married,” Tony purred, utterly thrilled, and already very, very impatient for the big day. He didn’t think he’d ever await his wedding day, especially this much, but he didn’t think he’d ever find a Steve and a Bucky either. He couldn’t believe how fast he went from doubting love to accepting it with open arms. This was like magic; only something bigger than what Strange was capable of. 

“We’re getting married,” Bucky echoed, unable to wipe the smile off his face. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” 

They were the words that Stane was saying over and over as he walked down the hall towards his study. He’d just bumped into Pepper, who had just spoken to Tony, and it seemed as if his idiot nephew had made up his mind on who he was going to marry. And in classic Tony fashion, he’d picked them both, like the greedy little shit he was. He had to have everything, and everything had to be his way. Stane wouldn’t have been surprised if Tony planned this whole stupid farce to begin with. 

Pushing open the heavy door of his study as he pocketed his keys, Stane turned the heavy locks to secure the door after him. Doing his usual check for any magical hearing devices around the room, he went to sit down at his desk to deal with the situation. First off, he poured himself a half glass of whiskey, taking a sip as he looked down on the desk at the wood case in the corner, his eyes running along the dark, unmarked surface. 

Finishing his drink, he reached over and picked it up with one hand as he fished out a small key from his breast pocket. Sliding it into the tiny lock, it opened with a barely audible click, the lid swinging open to reveal something even the wizard Strange didn’t have in his possession. It was an iridescent glass ring the size of a dinner plate with tiny cracks running all over it’s surface. As Stane lifted it from it’s case and put his hands on either side, it began to glow from within, letting out a low humming noise. 

“Afa mijia, fostja famer,” Stane murmured under his breath as the ring lit up, white light burning his eyes as he stared into the middle, waiting. As mist began to leak from the cracks and pool in the center, Stane didn’t react as another face appeared in the white smoke. It was a man with brown hair and eyes, and he didn’t look happy. 

“Stane, you better have good news for me,” the man said gruffly, staring intensely up at Stane. “I’m sick of you telling me every day that you don’t know what’s going on.” 

“Von Doom, I do have something to tell you, but I don’t think you’re going to like hearing it,” Stane frowned, his hands flexing on the sides of the ring. “Tony has made a decision in regards to his upcoming wedding. He wants to marry them both.”

“And does your land not have laws to prevent such a thing?” Von Doom said with irritation in his voice as well as painted across his expression. 

“We do not. To be honest with you, it’s never come up,” Stane sighed, shaking his head in frustration, wishing Tony would just let him control him with this as he did with everything else. “We’ve had Kings with mistresses, but not this.” 

“You don’t have time to throw some roadblocks in his way? You can’t tell him no? He signed your damn tax hike, why wouldn’t he sign something declaring that he’s to marry me?” asked Von Doom, his tone getting louder and angrier. “You promised me this, Stane!”

“And he’s not married yet, is he? We have time!”

“Do we?” 

“I don’t…!” Stane flexed his fingers on the sides of the ring, fighting every urge to throw it across the room. “I don’t know, I just found this out. You have to be patient with me.”

“My patience with you is growing thin,” Von Doom seethed, his eyes practically burning with anger. “I want the Iron Kingdom, I want to strip it down like I did Latveria, and I want all the money and resources in my hands.”

“Our hands, Von Doom, don’t get ahead of yourself,” Stane said angrily, not wanting to miss out on his part of the spoils here. He was already a very rich man from the taxes he was embezzling off of their own people, but he always wanted more. 

“Our hands, of course,” Von Doom relaxed a bit, though his expression stayed as hard as nails. “I don’t intend to take from you what is rightfully yours.”

“You just plan on marrying and murdering my nephew,” Stane couldn’t help but laugh at that, having waited for his nephew to die and finally be out of his way forever. He’d wanted to do it before now, but it was easier to just let Von Doom do the work rather than deal with the legalities of an empty throne with no heir. 

“I haven’t heard you complain about the plan,” Von Doom said crisply, raising an eyebrow. “You’re not backing out of our agreement, are you?” 

“Are you kidding me? I’m counting down the days,” Stane laughed as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs on top of his desk as he stared into the clear image of Von Doom before him. “He’s been a pain in my ass since I killed my sister and brother in law, but I can’t exactly just chop his head off. I’ve had to bide my time, do this carefully.” 

“Of course,” Von Doom nodded, though he didn’t seem as amused by this as Stane was, until you looked him in the eye. There was a definite twinkle there. 

“So we need to sit down and calmly think of a plan,” Stane said with a sigh, wishing he could let go of this ring to take another drink. He needed to keep a clear head, though, this was too important to take any risks, and that included alcohol consumption. 

“Alright, what do you have to work with?” asked Von Doom, seeming to lean back in his own seat. “Where do you think you can start?” 

“I can try to stop the marriage based on the fact that there’s no precedent for it, I can maybe delay the wedding,” Stane breathed out, trying to think of who he could get on his side to help with this. He didn’t see the older members of the royal council being entirely for this. 

“How much time do you have?” Von Doom queried, leaning closer towards the ring in his hands, illuminating the harsh lines in his face. 

“I have six days until the wedding, a month until the crown is no longer in Tony’s hands, and at that point, it’s every man for himself,” Stane said, frustration in his voice as he pursed his lips. “If we don’t get this done before then, we have no guarantee we can control whoever takes over.” 

“Then we’re going to have to get this done in a month,” Von Doom was blunt, but he didn’t feel like wasting his time with niceties. “We’ve left this too close, Stane, I don’t like having such a large margin for error.” 

“There was no way I could convince Tony to marry you before now,” Stane scoffed, shaking his head. “I couldn’t convince him to do any of his Kingly duties beyond signing things. You think I could have made him marry you? He doesn’t even want to do it now, and his throne is on the line.” 

“Alright, alright, I get it,” Von Doom snapped, glaring back at Stane to shut up. “So Tony doesn’t want to marry me, I get that, we obviously have to put him into a situation where he has absolutely no choice in the matter.”

“My only worry is…” Stane took a deep breath in through his mouth, blowing it back out through his nose. “Tony says he loves them.” 

“So?” Von Doom asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“So…” Stane paused for a moment, not sure exactly how to put this. “So I can’t guarantee Tony wouldn’t be stupid enough to give up the crown for these two disgusting peasants. I can see him just throwing it aside for a normal life, leave a vacuum behind, and again, that would leave us fighting for it like everyone else.” 

“You think he would really do such a thing?” 

“I know it. I know him.” 

“Then we have to make sure that doesn’t happen as well,” murmured Von Doom, tapping his finger against the edge of the ring. “We have to convince Tony his crown is too important to throw aside for romance.”

“You don’t know my idiot nephew,” Stane snorted, rolling his eyes. “Throwing away his entire future for some idyllic notion of love and family is something he was born to do.”

“Then what do you think we need to do?” Von Doom asked patiently, his voice more than a little condescending. 

“I think we need to eliminate the peasants,” Stane said without hesitation, as if he was suggesting the simplest thing. “He can’t marry they if they’re dead, now can he? All we have to do is have them killed in a way that can’t be traced back to us.” 

“And how do we do that?” Von Doom’s interest was peaked, his eyebrows raised as he thought over all this new information. 

“We have to hire someone then,” Stane stated, a few names coming to mind, but he didn’t know who of them they could reach in time to finish this job. They really had left things to the last moment, but then again, so had Tony. 

“Elektra Natchios is out…” Von Doom said immediately, trying to think as well. “I angered her a few years ago after a job she failed to complete for me. I don’t trust her, and she doesn’t trust me.”

“What about Frank Castle?” suggested Stane, feeling a bit optimistic at leaving their future in that man’s hands. He was supposed to be both brutal and effective, and Stane appreciated both. 

“No, no one’s seen him in months,” Von Doom grunted, pursing his lips. “I would say he’s our man if that wasn’t the case, though.”

“Tony Masters? Benjamin Poindexter? Daken Akihiro?” Stane listed, trying to think of every assassin he’d heard of, knowing that Von Doom would know the status of each one. 

“Presumed dead, missing, and we’re not working with him,” sighed Von Doom, getting frustrated again. They just seemed to be going in circles, and he was getting irritated again. “I can’t think of any top assassin that we can hire in time that we can trust.” 

“I can’t think of any either, I can just…” Stane trailed off, suddenly thinking for a moment of a name he’d heard in whispers before. “What if I told you I might know of someone in the neighbouring Kingdom that we might be able to convince to work for us?” 

“Oh? Do tell,” Von Doom said, interested once again. 

“He’s a warrior, I’ve heard of him taking jobs though,” the corner of Stane’s lip tugged up in a cautious smile as he spoke. “He’s good, he’s supposed to be strong and effective as killing. I’ve heard he’s taken on whole crowds and finished the fight without a scratch.”

“And what is this warrior’s name?” asked Von Doom, truly curious now. 

“Ronin,” grinned Stane, his teeth bared and shining in the light from the ring. “His name is Ronin.”


	11. Break In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visitor comes in the night, and some plans need to be made.

  
By the time Bucky made it to bed that night, he was completely worn out from his day. He’d started it in the stables with his goats, making sure everyone was fed, watered, and taken care of. Next was an appointment at the tailors, being fitted for the suit for their wedding. After that, he met up with his fiancés in Steve’s studio where they drank, ate, and laughed as Steve worked at painting an apple. It had been a beautiful day, and as they all said their good nights to each other, he couldn’t wait to spend the next day with them as well. 

Until their wedding, he wanted to be apart as little as possible. 

“Night, Tash…” Bucky called out as he took off his shirt and trousers, just letting them fall to the floor on top of his discarded boots. His hair was still in a neat braid from Tony earlier, and he planned on sleeping with it like that. 

“Night, Bucky,” Nathasha yelled back from her room where she was too busy reading by candlelight to lie down for the evening. “Don’t make me police you to keep fiancés from sneaking in there.” 

“Ha ha,” Bucky said as he crawled into bed, dragging the blanket over top of him, and flopping himself against the pillows. Looking up at the ceiling, he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. He had two amazing men in his life now, and they both wanted and loved him, and he couldn’t believe how happy he was. 

“I have Steve…I have Tony…” Dropping his voice down a bit, he licked his lips as he stared up at the painted ceiling above him. It was stupid, but just hearing these things out loud sent a rush through his body, making his cheeks ached as he grinned from ear to ear. “I have them both, and they love me for me, they love me with one arm. They really love me…” 

He felt like he could cry from happiness, he didn’t think that he could possibly feel like this. He had no clue how he was possibly going to go to sleep when he was this giddy. Though he knew he had to try if he was going to be getting up early tomorrow to deal with his goats before meeting the others for breakfast. 

“Okay, Bucky, go to sleep,” Bucky murmured to himself as he rolled over on his left side, pulling the blankets over his shoulder with his hand. Closing his eyes, he tried to force himself to be tired, but it wasn’t really happening. Thankfully he’d drunk enough that it should help make him drowsy soon. 

Not before he could start having some pretty interesting thoughts about his fiancés, however. 

“Fuck…” Bucky breathed, reaching down under the blankets to give his cock a squeeze, letting out a shaky moan. Just imagining Tony and Steve touching him at the same time, their fingers probing inside of him, stretching him out to make him ready, he couldn’t help himself. He didn’t know if he was supposed to refrain from touching himself, but it was fucking hard not to. Steve and Tony were both gorgeous, and strong, and sexy, and he didn’t know how he was supposed to last four days without even kissing them. 

He didn’t want to get in trouble though, he didn’t want to somehow make this marriage invalid. But at the same time, would anyone know he’d done this? He was pretty sure he could destroy the evidence, but was it worth risking becoming a King alongside Tony and Steve?

“Gods fucking damn it,” Bucky grumbled, pulling his hand back from his erect dick, rolling over so it was pinned between him and the bed, hoping the pressure would make him feel a bit better. Every time he moved, however, it just felt more sensitive, and his fingers twitched to wrap around it. He wished he’d asked Tony about this, he was going to be so angry if it was okay. 

Closing his eyes again, determined to sleep this time, Bucky relaxed in the warm embrace of mattress, pillow, and blanket. After a bit of frustrating daydreaming, including fighting the urge to go run to Tony’s room to ask him if masturbation was okay, he drifted off. Mumbling in his sleep, he was blissfully unaware of everything around him as he slept off the alcohol from earlier. 

Which was why he didn’t hear the sound of a sword being unsheathed in the shadows. 

Ronin was relieved when his target finally went to sleep, convinced he was going to have to stand back and watch the man pleasure himself. It wasn’t that he had a problem with masturbation; he had a healthy relationship with the act. But that didn’t mean he wanted to see some guy do it in front of him. He had an easier time with blood than he did with other people’s come. 

Stepping from the space where he’d been hiding beside a cabinet in the corner, his footfalls were silent across the cold stone floor. Holding his breath, he approached the bed, ready to end this all in one stroke so he could move on to his next target. Killing people in their sleep wasn’t his normal method of operating, but he was tight, and the money was good, so he was going to be as dirty as he needed to be. 

“Goodbye,” he mouthed, raising his sword over his head, about to bring it down in one motion when Bucky rolled over in his sleep. Pausing for a moment, he didn’t move an inch as he looked down at the man’s closed eyes, waiting for them to open. Convinced once again that he was asleep, Ronin slowly rose his blade, envisioning bringing it down through Bucky’s throat. 

“Mhm…” Bucky grunted in his sleep, suddenly shaken from the light sleep he’d fallen into by what he didn’t know. The second he opened his eyes, however, a mix between a gasp and yelp left his lips as he rolled over just fast enough to avoid having his head chopped off. “TASH!” 

“Stay still!” Ronin ordered, jumping onto the bed to grab a hold of Bucky, already panicking in his head. This was supposed to be quiet and covert, not involve screaming and fighting. But as Bucky brought a foot up to kick Ronin square in the chest, he knew this wasn’t going to go to plan. 

“Fuck you!” Bucky shouted back, rolling off the far side of the bed, getting to his feet. If he was going to have any chance of this, he had to be on his feet. He might be missing an arm, but he had a great sense of balance and a hard skull. “I am King Anthony’s fiancé, and that’s not even the reason you’re going to be so fucked up!” 

“Oh? And what are you going to do?” Ronin laughed, walking around the foot of the bed, blade drawn in front of him. This guy seemed like a big mouth, probably because he had a visible weakness. He could just cut Bucky’s other arm off and make this even less fair. It was tempting after that kick to his chest. 

“It’s not what I’m going to do, asshole,” Bucky grinned, still in a fighting stance, and ready to play dirty. 

“Hello, boys,” Natasha said as she appeared from the shadows in her light nightgown, wrapping an arm around Ronin’s neck and pointing a blade into it with her other hand. “Want to drop that sword?” 

“Natasha?” Ronin didn’t drop his sword, but he did lower it, not turning his head lest his throat get opened up. “Natasha, is that you?” 

“Clint?” Natasha drew the blade back, letting the man go, and taking a step to the side. 

“What?” Bucky asked, thoroughly confused as to why Natasha wasn’t turning this fucker inside out. “What’s going on? How do you know this guy?” 

“We’ve worked jobs together,” Natasha said with a shrug, acting as casual as she could in her light pink nightdress with a dagger in her hand. “He’s a good guy, very trustworthy.” 

“No kidding,” Bucky rolled his eyes, going over to the door to get his dressing gown, not really feeling like standing around in his underwear. “Who is he?” 

“Clint Barton,” Clint sheathed his sword and pulled his mask back, reaching a hand out to shake Bucky’s. “No hard feelings, I didn’t know you were one of Natasha’s friends. I owe her my life, I wouldn’t do anything to hurt someone close to her.” 

“Would I be dead if I didn’t wake up?” Bucky said flatly, looking over at Natasha before taking his hand and shaking it. 

“Honestly?” Clint just laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. 

“Never mind,” Bucky grumbled, sitting on the edge of his bed and shaking his head as he looked over at the intruder. “What do we do with him then? I mean, he did try to kill me. Tony’s not going to be happy about that at all.” 

“I can talk, if you want,” Clint offered with a shrug, looking between Natasha and Bucky. “I mean, I have nothing against you, buddy. I was hired for this job, and to kill the other fiancé. I don’t know his name. I’ll cooperate however you want.” 

“That might be more valuable than just locking him up,” Natasha said to Bucky, tapping the dagger against her hand carefully as to not leave a cut. “Because there might be more people coming for you, and I don’t think our luck will repeat itself.”

“…yeah, then we’ll do that,” Bucky rubbed his forehead for a moment before getting to his feet. “I’m going to tell one of the guards to just go get Tony and Steve, I’m not going to say why. Maybe we can just keep this between us.” 

“I promise you, I’m not going anywhere,” Clint reassured him. 

“I promise you he’s not,” Natasha waved the knife a little. 

“I know,” Bucky sighed, heading out the door, wondering if the guards would have jobs after tonight considering his head almost got cut off. 

“How the hell did you end up here, Tash?” Clint asked, holding his hands up in surrender as he sat down in a chair. “I mean, the last time I saw you, we stole two horses from the stables here. Now you’re in your nightgown protecting fiancés.” 

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Natasha replied, leaning against a post at the end of Bucky’s bed. “I’m Bucky’s best friend, though, so I kind of live here now. Don’t think my views on the upper class have changed just because I’m a part of it now. I’m working from within.” 

“I’m not shocked, that’s a good tactic,” Clint nodded, looking around the room, admiring the artwork. He didn’t usually get to work in places this nice. “I’m glad you’re okay, and I’m glad your friend is okay.” 

“Seriously, how close were you?” 

“I don’t know how he’s still here close.” 

“Noted.” 

“I wouldn’t have accepted the job if I knew he was your friend,” Clint said to her, fiddling with his mask in his hands. 

“What are you talking about? It’s a good thing you did, now we can figure out who is trying to kill him and Steve,” Natasha didn’t look happy about this in the least, clearly worried about her friend. 

“I hope I can be anyway,” sighed Clint, leaning back in the chair, hoping that his cooperation was going to earn him mercy. He was going to trust in Natasha and Bucky, though, even if his head was likely on the line. 

“Okay, so the guards didn’t hear anything somehow,” Bucky said as he came walking back into the room a couple of minutes later, watching as the other two raised their heads. “They’ve gone to get Steve and Tony.” 

“What did you tell them?” Clint asked, more than a little curious. 

“I told them I had a nightmare,” Bucky grumbled, annoyance heavy in his voice. “I couldn’t think of anything else, so I said that, and now those guards will think I’m a fucking baby.” 

“If they’re still here,” Natasha snorted, shaking her head at the incompetence around her. Not that she minded playing bodyguard to Bucky; she was the only person she trusted to keep him safe. For extremely obvious reasons. 

“I seriously hope not,” said Bucky as he took a seat next to Natasha, looking over at Clint and raising a hand. “I don’t have an issue with you, man, it’s the situation. I kind of figured marrying Tony would put a target on my back. I just didn’t think it would be this fast. I probably should have.”

“I would be in a bad mood if someone tried to kill me too,” Clint admitted, finally tucking his mask into a pouch on his waist, crossing his legs at the ankle to show that he was relaxed and not going anywhere. 

“Are you alone?” Bucky asked, looking at Natasha, then back at Clint. “If you’ll work with others, I need to know if that’s the case now.” 

“No, I’d have said something, it’s just me,” Clint folded his arms over his chest, wondering if he could ask for a glass of water or something. It might be bad taste, though. “I kind of have two personas. There’s the one that works with others, what Natasha is familiar with, and there’s this one. If there’s anyone else here, I didn’t bring them.” 

“That doesn’t fill me with confidence,” Bucky said softly, turning his head when Steve came rushing into the room, out of breath. “Good, you’re here. Sorry Clint, not that I don’t believe you, but I love him and I needed to know he was alright.”

“No offense taken,” Clint said, raising his hands. 

“Who is that guy? Why is he in your room?” Steve looked back and forth between Bucky and Clint as he closed his dressing gown, having left it open in his rush. “He’s got a sword. Why does he have a sword?” 

“Don’t worry, he’s harmless,” Natasha promised, holding up the dagger, though she knew she didn’t need it. 

“That doesn’t explain most of what I asked,” Steve walked over to sit next to Bucky, putting an arm around him. He had a feeling whatever happened, he wasn’t going to like it. 

“It’s okay, I promise,” Bucky leaned against his fiancé, letting out a tired sigh. He was exhausted, he just wanted to go back to bed. He hadn’t realized how much he’d needed the sleep until he’d begun it. “We should wait for Tony to talk. Hopefully he doesn’t take very long.” 

“Hopefully what doesn’t take long?” Tony came in, still dressed in the clothes he was wearing earlier, looking worried. “Bucky, are you alright? Did y-why is there an armed man in here?” 

“This is Clint, he’s here to kill me,” Bucky said nonchalantly, shrugging a bit, not moving from Steve’s side. 

“Hi,” Clint waved cheerfully.

“WHAT??” Steve and Tony yelled in unison, both turning their attention towards Clint as if they were ready to tear him apart. 

“Relax, he’s not now,” Bucky reassured them, patting Steve’s thigh lightly before giving it a squeeze. “Natasha saved the day. She came running in and the two of them seem to know each other so the attack was called off.” 

“I thought if I talked about what I knew, I could help,” Clint offered, hoping that would save him from the two angry looking men. 

“He’s right, what he knows is more important than locking him up,” Natasha stepped in, hoping that Tony would listen to her. “If he tells us everything, he’s not going to try to kill Bucky or Steve again.” 

“Me too?” asked Steve, his eyebrows raising. 

“Yeah, after him,” Clint said as he pointed over at Bucky. “I came in through his window when he wasn’t in the room. I was going to kill him here and then move over the outside of the building to your window.” 

“And did you even almost get caught?” Tony was seething now, wanting to hunt down Nick Fury and tell him off for his lax security teams. He wanted his fiancés safe, this obviously wasn’t safe, and he wasn’t happy. 

“No, to be honest, but I had inside information about avoiding security, I knew when the patrols were, where they were, all that,” Clint frowned, reaching into a pocket to take out a slip of paper with some odd writing on it. “This is my own code, but those are the times the guards would walk over to this area of the castle as well as for Steve’s window.” 

“Did you know their names?” Natasha asked, her interests piqued when she realized he was using their common names. “Specifically, what were you told?” 

“I was told to kill Steve Rogers and James Barnes,” Clint said as Tony took the slip of paper off him to look over his code. “I know they’re the King’s fiancés because I was there on the evening of the lottery.” 

“And who told you to do it?” Tony was really curious about that, he wanted to kill whoever had made the order. “Who paid you for this?” 

“I was approached by a man from a group called the Ten Rings,” Clint tented his fingers and leaned forward, planting his elbows into his knees. “I don’t know the man’s name, he just kept saying he was just representing the Ten Rings.”

“Obviously he either lives here or he knows someone that does,” Natasha crossed her arms, wishing Clint had an actual name or more information for them to pursue. She already had every intention of hunting these Ten Rings people down, she just wanted to start immediately. 

“Obviously…what exactly happened, can you go over that for me?” Tony queried, rubbing his temples with his thumb and index finger. 

“I broke into…is it okay I call you Bucky?” Clint asked, waiting for a nod before he began to talk again. “I broke into Bucky’s room before he came in here. I came up the side of the castle to the very top, hid there, and then repelled down through Bucky’s window and hid in the corner there. Once he was asleep, I walked over to do the job, and he suddenly sprung to life and started making noise. Suddenly Natasha was here, and…then Bucky went to get you.” 

“…I’m firing those guards,” Tony grumbled, not looking happy in the least. 

“Are you going to…am I going to jail for this?” Clint’s voice was small and concerned, hoping that he wasn’t going to have to try to break out of somewhere. Though he knew jail was the gentler of his options. He could hang or lose his head for this. 

“Tony, he did tell us what he knew,” Bucky piped up, looking over at his unimpressed fiancé. “Maybe we can figure out who hired these people if we follow the name Ten Rings.” 

“I just…I feel like that name’s bullshit,” Tony began to pace, looking over at Clint as he realized how close he was to losing one of the men he loved. He wasn’t very impressed with that. “I…I suppose you can live if you keep helping us.” 

“Then let me make a suggestion,” Clint flexed his fingers in their tented position as h uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “We tell everyone I killed them both to keep them safe. If everyone thinks they’re dead, no one will come after them.” 

“What about the wedding?” Tony asked him, leaning against the doorway. “I have to get married to keep my crown, and people are going to notice that I’m marrying two corpses.” 

“Easy, have the funeral ready to go, do a wedding instead,” Natasha said, agreeing with this plan. She figured it was the best way to keep Bucky alive was to say he was dead. “They shouldn’t be targets the same once you’re wed, I don’t think, because your crown is yours then. You’re not in a position to lose it any more unless they kill you, and that would probably be a mess.” 

“I don’t think anyone would want to deal with that fallout, I’m well aware in my court who would put their names forward,” Tony’s voice was dark, hating to admit that the Kingdom needed him to stay alive and in power. He hated feeling that important. “Someone would be smarter to take a move now, when all they have to do is marry me to win it. There are a lot of people that could have paid for an assassin for their own chance.” 

“Then hide them somewhere, declare them dead,” Clint said in a loud whisper, though he was sure the guards outside wouldn’t hear him if he was shouting in their ears. He had to admit, his own hearing was slipping, he didn’t know how much longer he could work like this. 

“Where could we hide them, though? And what about bodies?” Tony didn’t see how this was going to work, everything was just getting more and more complicated in his head. 

“I’ll stay here in the castle with Sarah, and Bucky and Steve will go back to our old house. A friend of ours can protect them,” Natasha nodded, sure of her plan and knowing that Namor could do the job. Even if he wouldn’t appreciate being volunteered. 

“That still leaves us with bodies,” Tony pointed out, not satisfied yet. 

“Burn some corpses up?” Clint suggested, looking at Natasha, and shrugging. “I mean, if we dug two up and lit the beds on fire.” 

“Okay this is sounding too complicated and dangerous,” Steve shook his head, not agreeing with the way things were going. He didn’t want to risk his mother in a room next to a bed on fire either. 

“No, he’s right, but we don’t need to dig them up,” Tony covered his mouth with his hand, not liking what he was about to say. “My uncle told me once that the bodies of the executed are given to the medical school the next day, and I know today there was more than one. I think there were four. But they’d be in the bottom of the tower.” 

“So you want to steal some bodies, put them in bed, and light them on fire? All without being caught?” Steve didn’t think it could be done, though if the others were so determined, he did have someone else that could help. 

“We have to cut their heads off too,” Clint added with a grin, not knowing how the others couldn’t see the humour in this. Then again, it wasn’t his life on the line.” 

“Oh excuse me, cut their heads off and light them on fire,” Steve sighed in frustration. “Maybe we should get Sam, he’d be useful.” 

“Don’t involve Sam, not yet,” Tony looked over at Steve, giving him a weak smile. “Or maybe we’ll just send him home with you and Bucky, he and this Namor can protect you. That would be more important to me.” 

“Clint and I can get the bodies then, just tell us where to go,” Natasha got to her feet, ready to go get dressed and start this. 

“Wait, not so fast, we need to get Steve and Bucky out of here first,” Tony frowned, standing up straight and walking over to the two sitting on the bed. Kneeling in front of them, he reached his hands up to take their hands. “I’m not going to let anything happen to either of you. No one outside of this room is going to know you’re alive. Sorry Steve, that includes your Mom.” 

“I understand…” Steve’s voice was tiny and sad, knowing how badly this was going to hurt her. 

“Trust in Natasha, she’s really smart, okay? She’s really tough too,” Bucky said as he looked into Tony’s eyes, smiling weakly. “If she says she can do it, she can.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Tony smiled back, though his expression was sad as well as he looked between them “I’m going to miss you.” 

“We’re going to miss you too,” Bucky echoed, leaning closer to Steve, glad that he’d at least have him. “But we’ll be married soon. We’ll be your husbands in less than a week.” 

“I can’t wait,” Tony said as he thought of what he next few days were going to be like between pretending to mourn and whatever else Pepper made him do. Not to mention his uncle giving him advice. 

But more than anything, Tony was just scared this wasn’t going to work.


	12. Mistakes Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony realizes what's happening behind his back, and Steve and Bucky get comfortable in their hiding spot.

“Sire?” 

“Mhm?” Tony looked up from his throne, sitting upon it with red rimmed eyes. He’d been there for hours, since he’d announced the deaths of his fiancés, doing his best to act like he was in mourning. So far it had to have been working since everyone was avoiding him unless they were giving him empty platitudes about the men he loved being at the feast of the gods now. Hopefully Pepper would have more to say. 

“Are you alright, sire? You’ve been staring off at the floor for so long now,” Pepper asked, having already started making notes about turning this wedding into a funeral. The same people would be invited, and food was required at both, so it was largely small details she needed to look after. 

“I feel so empty,” Tony admitted, impressing himself with his acting job, though he had to admit he found it depressing to pretend they were gone. “I feel like everything good has been taken from me.” 

“I’m so sorry, sire,” Pepper approached him slowly, going to place a hand on his arm as she made it to his side. “This funeral, is there anything I can do to make it easier on you?” 

“No…wait, yes,” he had to admit it, he got good ideas sometimes. “Can you treat it exactly like a wedding? I’d like Steve and Bucky to be buried with their dress clothes and rings. It’s the closest I’ll ever have to marrying them for real.”

“If that’s what you’d like, sire,” said Pepper as she clutched her notebook a bit tighter, hoping that was the end of Tony’s odd requests. She was worried enough about him without adding his mental health to her list. Though she was still going to go forward with her plan to spend time with him, hoping nothing else would pop up. 

“It is what I’d like, thanks,” Tony brought his eyes up to meet hers. “I didn’t get to spend enough time with them. I feel like there was so much more I could have learned. I’d never seen a finished painting from Steve, or heard Bucky sing, and I can’t order them back to life, or buy them back. I’ve never felt so weak and lost.” 

“No one can blame you for that, Sire,” Pepper frowned, rubbing Tony’s shoulder lightly, not sure how else to show him that she was there for him. She was going to have to be direct. “Sire, if I can do anything, and I mean anything, I don’t mind putting in extra time if it means doing something to make you happy. I feel terrible for your loss, I want to help.” 

“…thank you, Pepper,” Tony said after a moment of silence, looking down at his hands in his lap, making sure they trembled a bit as he brought them up to smooth his hair. “You’re a good friend, not just a worker, but I can tell you anything…” 

“I’m proud of that fact,” Pepper smiled a little, the compliment warming her heart. Here he was so upset and grief stricken, and he still cared about her. “Sire-“

“Tony. I want you to call me Tony from now on.” 

“Tony, what are you going to do about your crown?” Pepper asked, clearly worried as she gave his shoulder a squeeze. “I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you. You’re a good man.” 

“Do my people think so?” Tony leaned back, looking up at her with a serious look on his face. “What do my people call me? What do they think of me as a King? I doubt I’m anything like Roger the Wise, my father was practically perfect for this job.” 

“Tony, I don’t think it’s a good time for that…” Pepper’s brow knit as her mind was filled with the more common named for Tony that she’d head. 

“I don’t care, I want to know now,” insisted Tony, not backing down, more than a little interested now. If he was going to have to spend these days without Bucky and Steve, he might as well get something accomplished. “Tell me what my legacy is.” 

“They call you…uhm….” Pepper really didn’t want to do this, but if he went to anyone else, they’d deliver the same news in a harsher way. “They call you Taxing Tony, or Tony the Tax Man, mostly, but I’ve heard some just call you Tony the Terrible.” 

“This is impossible, my Uncle says we don’t tax the peasants unfairly,” Tony was stunned, figuring he might have a reputation of partying too much, but not this. “He said they’re being taxed so low our own amount of gold was lower than the other Kingdoms. I specifically wanted that, he assured me! Are you sure there’s no mistake?”

“I’m sure, Tony,” Pepper frowned, really not wanting to do this to her boss hours after losing his fiancés. “And he is right about that, we don’t have much money set away. We’ve taken out a loan from Wakanda in the last year.”

“What?!” Tony was on his feet in a flash, his act forgotten as he heard the state his Kingdom was in. “How much? Do I want to know how much? And how much tax are the people paying?”

“I don’t know exactly, I think it’s like fifty percent.” 

“You’re joking.” 

“I wouldn’t joke about that, si-I mean, Tony.” 

“…I have made a huge mistake…” Tony said, shaking his head and looking down at his hands in his lap. “I sat back and I let other people be King for me, and now…why didn’t you tell me?” 

“I tried, but every time I did, you interrupted me and wanted me to see something,” Pepper pointed out softly, really not trying to make him feel better about himself, but it was about time for the truth. “You weren’t willing to lead for a long time, you wanted to do your own thing.” 

“I could have done both,” Tony felt sick, the tears misting his eyes now were completely genuine. He’d failed his people, there was no other way to put it. “How much did we take from Wakanda?” 

“I honestly don’t know,” Pepper hadn’t been included in that meeting, but she’d heard afterwards from Stane that it had happened. “I know it was a lot, that’s it, but I have no idea what that amount would be.” 

“Fuck…” pinching the bridge of his nose, Tony took a few deep breaths, remembering that he was supposed to be mourning on top of this newfound stress. “What have I done?” 

“You didn’t do-“

“Exactly, I didn’t do anything,” Tony finished her sentence for her, scoffing at his own ignorance. “There’s probably a million things I’ve done wrong that you could list off from that notebook. I’m a failure, and…and I’m alone,” Tony flopped back in the throne, closing his eyes as he heard his father’s voice in his head telling him what a disappointment he was. 

“Tony, listen to me,” Pepper’s voice was soft and even as she spoke to him. “If you want to apply yourself, if you want to be a King, you can do it. You can still win them over and be a great leader.”

“How?” Tony asked, perplexed as to how he could salvage any of this at this point. 

“You be the King you want to be now, you start today,” Pepper set down her notebook on the floor, taking both of his hands in hers. “I’ll help you with anything, okay? We can figure out what’s been going on and fix the economy of the Kingdom.” 

“I want tax to…depending on what we have in our coffers, I want it frozen,” Tony stressed as Pepper picked up her notebook to write Tony’s ideas in it. “I want our people to have a break for at least a year, I want to give them a break from taxation.”

“I can look into that,” Pepper said as she nodded, pausing her pencil on the paper as she looked up at him. “Tony, maybe you should take a couple days to relax after what happened. I’m all for throwing yourself into your rule, but maybe you should wait a few days. A few days won’t make you too late to fix some of these issues.”

“So…so I should wait until after the funeral?” That would make keeping the act up easier, he could pretend to be sad until then, and after that he could concentrate on being a good ruler with his husbands by his sides. 

“Yes, you should wait until after then,” Pepper said, turning to a new page in her notebook as she nervously chewed the inside of her cheek. “Tony, we have to talk about the funeral a bit. What do you want the clergy member to say about them? I can interview Sarah Rogers and Natasha Romanov, but this is about you as well. They were just about to marry you.” 

“I…” Tony hadn’t thought about that part of the funeral preparations, but he supposed he had to do this. He hated talking about Steve and Bucky like this, even knowing that they were okay. “I haven’t paid attention to the last funerals I was at, I’ll be honest with you. What should I say?” 

“Tell me what you want the world to know about them,” Pepper readied her pencil, looking over at him. “Remember, Natasha and Sarah can help with this, but you loved them too, you should get a chance to have your words said.” 

“I’d…I’d like that…” Tony nodded, not quite knowing where to begin. “Steve was…Steve was so brave, but so gentle. I can see why he became a soldier, he wanted to protect people from the bad in the world. He wanted this to be a good place, and I want to make it one for him. He was one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever known, and that’s not talking about his looks. I mean inside, where it really counts.” 

“That’s very touching, Tony,” Pepper smiled at him sadly, not surprised when he couldn’t return the expression. “What about Bucky? He was so quiet talking to me, I feel like I barely knew him.” 

“He was quiet, but his mind was always going,” Tony laughed weakly, reaching up to brush away a tear he’d managed to conjure. “He was so thoughtful, he cared about people even though they didn’t care about him. His goats were his life, and I don’t think there are better cared for goats in the whole Kingdom. Bucky was very nurturing, even if he wouldn’t admit it himself. He would have been so good with the kids we would have adopted. He would have done anything for them.”

“You were lucky to have had two such wonderful men win your lottery,” Pepper’s voice was sad as she set her pencil down against the page she’d just been writing on. “I was scared you were going to find someone awful and bring them here. I liked both Steve and Bucky though, they were polite, nice men.” 

“I don’t see how I was lucky when I brought them here only to lose them,” Tony looked down on the floor between his boots, wishing he could go visit his fiancés now just to remind himself that they were okay. “I feel like it was the unluckiest thing that could have happened. At least if they didn’t get picked, they’d still be alive…” 

“What will happen with Sarah and Natasha?” Pepper asked, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. She hoped Tony wasn’t going to throw them out, but they might be a constant reminder for him. 

“They’ll stay here,” Tony reassured her, nodding slowly as his eyes drifted off back towards his feet. “I want them to spend the rest of their days in comfort, I’ll give them titles if I have to.” 

“I think that’s what Steve and Bucky would have wanted most,” Pepper knelt in front of her King again, looking up at him. “Is there anything I can get you right now? Even if just a bottle of something? You’ve been suffering so much, and really I shouldn’t have been as honest as I was about the state of the Kingdom.” 

“No, I’m glad you were,” said Tony, though he wasn’t entirely truthful about that. He felt like a stupid asshole having let his Kingdom get so far gone. “Pepper, can I ask you something? The executions, what do you have to do to get executed?” 

“It depends who you commit the crime against,” Pepper sighed, not really liking the system, and liking that Tony was asking her about it even less. “Tony, please, you need to rest.” 

“Let’s just do this first,” Tony sat up, gripping the arms of his throne, looking down at Pepper. “Please just tell me, you can’t make me feel worse than I do.” 

“I’ve heard word that stealing from the businesses and homes of the upper class is automatic hanging,” Pepper looked back into Tony’s eyes, frowning. “Hurting them, or murdering one, you lose your head.” 

“I see, and what about crimes against the poor?” Tony said, his jaw set in anger at the sound of the justice system in his Kingdom. Another failure on his part. 

“Its my understanding that they go to jail,” Pepper took her pencil with the same hand she was holding the book in. “I’ve also heard that any meetings about revolutions or anything like that end in death too.” 

“I don’t blame them for wanting a revolution, I’d want one too,” Tony mused, rubbing his beard as he began to think about righting some of these wrongs. “It sounds like the death penalty is getting out of hand. Someone doesn’t need to die because they stole from a rich person.” 

“I agree,” Pepper nodded, putting her hand over Tony’s on the arm of the throne. “But those things are a matter for another day, for after the funeral.” 

“I suppose you’re right,” Tony relaxed a bit, though inside he was absolutely teeming with anger and self hatred. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without them to marry, I’m going to end up losing my crown.” 

“If it gets too tight, you can just marry someone random,” Pepper shrugged, though she didn’t know who to suggest off the top of her head. 

“What, like you?” Tony asked, raising an eyebrow in a moment of amusement as Pepper turned bright red and tried to look like she was concentrating on her notebook. 

“I don’t know about that…” she said as she hugged her notebook to her chest, her cheeks burning brightly. 

“I do. If I don’t find someone else, I’ll marry you. Deal?” Tony reached a hand out to shake Pepper’s, a smile on his face. 

“…deal…” Pepper reached forward to shake it, though she didn’t look very happy about it. “I hope you can find someone else.” 

“I’m sure I can,” Tony’s smile slowly faded from his face as he wilted in the chair, leaning his head back to look up at the ceiling. Steve and Tony felt so far away, he just wanted to reach out and touch them. But that wouldn’t be for a few days now. “Just no harm in being prepared.”

Gods, he missed them already.

“How comfortable are you?” 

“I’m lying in hay on wood, how comfortable do you think I am?” 

“Sorry, I’m just trying to make conversation. It sucks in here,” Steve sighed, looking out a crack at the street below, the whole alley bathed in evening light. He was getting hungry, but he knew they would have to wait to eat, and they weren’t getting meals like they did in the castle either. He felt fully spoiled by the lifestyle he’d grown accustomed to. 

“Then talk to me about meaningful things, not how much I like my hay bed,” Bucky laughed quietly, knowing they had to keep relatively silent just in case. “I wish we had something to do up here.” 

“You can sing for us,” Steve suggested, smiling a little. “I mean, quietly, but I’d still like to hear you. You never used to sing to me when we were together aside from the dirty songs we learned from here and there.”

“I will sing for you on our wedding day, same thing I told Tony,” Bucky sat up, picking pieces of hay from his hair as he looked over at Steve, suddenly feeling more than a little evil. “Do you still think about fucking me?” 

“Gods, Buck!” Now Steve was blushing, knowing that Bucky could tell in the light of their lantern. “Where did that come from?” 

“I’m naturally curious,” Bucky sat crosslegged now, his hand resting on top of his right knee. “Now tell me the truth, and then I’ll tell you the truth about something you choose.”

“Yes, of course I do, you’re the only person I’ve ever been with, and gods, you were so good,” Steve said, trying to think of a question and failing miserably. “How about you? Do you think about me?” 

“That’s a bit of a lazy question, but I’ll allow it,” Bucky paused for a moment, purposely taking his time to drive Steve up the wall. “I…I would say yes, I think about it. A lot, sometimes. You were pretty good yourself.” 

“Am I the only person you’ve been with, though?” Steve queried, wanting to know more than just that he was good in bed, though that did make him feel better about himself. 

“Not your turn. It’s my turn,” Bucky pointed out, leaning forward more as he thought. “Okay, have you had to use your hand on yourself since coming to the castle? Before we found out we weren’t supposed to, that is.” 

“Yes, an embarrassing amount,” admitted Steve, figuring this game was going to be a lot more fun if he just told the truth. “Now can I ask you if you’ve been with anyone else?” 

“Yes you may,” Bucky reached over, getting the vessel of water they were sharing, taking a drink, mostly just to stall answering. He knew Steve could be impatient sometimes. “And no. Who else would want me?” 

“I would imagine a lot of people,” Steve shrugged, watching as Bucky put the water down before taking it for himself. “You’re a really good looking man, your body is likely still as stunning as I remember it being.”

“Not so much now, there’s a chunk missing,” Bucky raised his shoulder where his arm had been cleaved cleanly off. Not so much as a hair from his limb had been left, it was taken right from the joint itself. 

“You really think people would care about that with a face like yours?” Steve asked, reaching over to touch Bucky’s empty shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “That doesn’t make you ugly.” 

“You haven’t seen it yet,” Bucky said matter of factly, leaning back as Steve’s touch began to overwhelm him. He’d truly thought in all this time that his appearance had disgusted Steve, it was a miracle to know he didn’t. “Anyway, my question time, did you ever have a thing for Sam?” 

“Sam? No. No no,” Steve laughed as he shook his head, a little surprised that Bucky would ask. “Sam is in love with someone else, this girl named Missy. She’s a soldier too, but she’s a higher rank, and he’s pretty sure she doesn’t know who he is.”

“We’ll have to set them up then,” Bucky grinned, playing with a piece of hay, wishing he could braid it like Natasha. “I mean, what else do two kings have to do? We might as well get some kids in love together.”

“I think Sam would both love and hate us for that,” Steve wasn’t sure if he should warn Sam first, or just let Missy walk up to him or something. He didn’t know how hands on Sam wanted to be in this. He’d have to make that decision later, anyway, he was stuck in the attic for now. “Okay, my turn to ask you a question. The last time you jerked off, who were you thinking about, me or Tony?”

“Jokes on you, I stopped myself before I did it, I only got a few tugs in,” Bucky looked positively impish in the moonlight, having dodged a question to the best of his abilities. Steve already knew enough about him, he didn’t need him having too much of an advantage. Though, things will get boring if he just plays hard to get. “If you must know, though, I was thinking about both of you at the same time.”

“O-oh…okay, that’s…that’s hot,” Steve could feel his body responding to Bucky’s words as his heart beat faster, a tingle ran through him, and he felt his cock stir in his trousers. “I’m sure we can do that for you, have you in the middle while w-“

“Stop. Stop there,” Bucky put his hand up, eyes wide as his respiration rate picked up. “We’re not allowed to fuck or do anything to ourselves, so I think we should stop now before we do something we regret. I love you, but I love Tony too, and we need to do this right.” 

“You love me, gods I love hearing that,” Steve sighed, moving closer to Bucky so he could wrap an arm around him, pulling him closer. “Say it more often, until I have it burned into my memory.”

“You…” Bucky just laughed and blushed, pulling over a blanket to cover them both with. “I like when you say it too, you know.”

“Is that a hint?” laughed Steve as he buried his face against Bucky’s hair, breathing him in as he closed his eyes. He smelled mostly of hay, but it worked for him somehow. “I love you, Buck. I never, ever stopped.” 

“And I’m eternally grateful,” Bucky smiled, enjoying the feeling of being close to Steve, though he knew in his heart this picture wasn’t perfect. “I miss Tony.” 

“So do I,” Steve breathed, leaning his cheek against Bucky’s head. “We’ll be back with him soon, and we’ll be safe then. This will all be worth it.” 

“You promise?” asked Bucky as he stared into the light of the lantern. 

“I promise,” Steve said before he could really think about it. He just wanted Bucky to feel safe, and he was prepared to do anything to ensure that. Tightening his arm around him, Steve pressed another kiss to the top of his head. “I swear to you, Buck.”


	13. Royal Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> King Von Doom arrives according to his and Stane's plans, and Stane is let in on a secret.

Stane paced back and forth through his study, hands clasped behind his back, counting his own footfalls across the stone floor. It felt like seconds were passing as minutes, the sun had gone from the pinnacle of the sky down nearly half way into setting. He would have sworn he watched every minute of it moving across the heavens, but the ache from his knees reminded him that he’d covered miles walking back and forth. He didn’t see every second of it descending, though he wished he’d spent his time more fruitfully. He could have at least read a book. 

“Sir?” 

Stane spun around when he heard the knock on the door, taking a moment to clear his throat and straighten his robes. Reaching onto his desk, he picked up the glass of water he’d recently poured for himself. Taking a sip, he coughed a little again, before turning his body towards the door. 

“Come in,” Stane said in a cheerful voice, hoping that his guest had finally arrived. As the door opened, he was disappointed to only see one of the men who worked for him. His tone quickly changed. “What do you want? I’m a busy man.” 

“It’s just that King Von Doom has arrived, sir,” the man said hurriedly, trying not to nervously fidget with his hands. He’d been on the business end of much of Stane’s temper, he wasn’t looking forward to more. 

“And why didn’t he come up here as discussed?” asked Stane, his annoyance evident in his body language and voice. “He was supposed to come up here, and we were going to present him at supper to the King.”

“King Anthony found out he was coming and he immediately ordered for him to report to the throne room first,” he said, trying to make himself sound at least a bit more confident. It wasn’t working very well. “I was told to come here and tell you of the change to plans, and to invite you to come down to the courtroom now.”

“He’s there now?” Stane immediately sprung into action, pushing past his assistant and all but running down the corridors. He was an active man, but he was also a big one, and he was quickly out of breath by the time he got downstairs. Making his way through the people, he tried not to push as he moved through the crowd, but he was quickly getting frustrated with those in his way. 

“Is that you in the back, Uncle?” Tony asked from his throne, seeing the bald man trying to get through to him. Gesturing for the people to step from his way, Tony looked down at him as he managed to come up the empty middle. “Sorry about that, I didn’t realize we were having company, I would have called you earlier.”

“It’s a surprise to me as well, I didn’t think that King Von Doom was coming in person,” Stane laughed, trying to sound as relaxed as possible as he took his place at Tony’s side. “How are you holding up? Or would you rather have that conversation in private?” 

“We’ll talk about it later,” Tony replied, leaning back in the throne as he gave a nod to Pepper, who disappeared into the neighbouring room. “This should be interesting, I can’t believe they got here so fast from Latveria. 

Not long after she’d crossed through the door, two men in grey stepped through and stood at both sides holding heavy pikes. After him came two men with horns, blasting a short call before they moved to the sides with their instruments at their sides. As the echoes of the notes left the air, a large man wearing silver armour along with a forest green cape stepped forward into the room. Not breaking his stride, he walked up to Tony’s throne, stopping just in front of the steps up to it. 

“I present to you His Royal Majesty, King Victor Von Doom,” one of the trumpeters promptly announced as Von Doom bowed his head slightly forward.

“Your Majesty,” Tony lowered his own head in return, hating this pageantry, having a hard time not rolling his eyes. “Did you come from Latveria? You must need food and drink, and probably baths.” 

“We’re well rested and fed, I assure you,” Von Doom said with a smile, though there was no joy in his eyes. “We were travelling for your wedding, actually. It’s a shame to hear what happened to your fiancés, though I’m glad that Latveria can be by your side in this terrible time.” 

“I appreciate that, thank you,” Tony didn’t want to discuss this in front of everyone, having worried that his act wasn’t realistic enough. He still worried that something was going to happen to Steve and Bucky, he still wished he could feel better about that. 

“Will you be staying with us for long, Your Majesty?” Stane asked Von Doom, mentally laughing to himself that this was going almost exactly how they’d planned. Tony was a bit of a smart ass, as he assumed, but he didn’t seem to suspect this pretty much rehearsed. 

“I will only darken your doorstep for as long as I’m welcome,” Von Doom said politely, turning around and nodding back at some of his servants. As they emerged from the shadows with a medium sized chest, Von Doom waited for them to set it down before he opened it. Inside were bars of a silvery metal, each stamped with the Von Doom family crest. “For you, King Anthony, the best Latveria has to offer.”

“What is it?” Tony’s interests were piqued for the moment as he leaned forward. He’d seen lots of metal before, but this looked a bit different than what he was used to working with. 

“It’s a new type of steel manufactured by our top metallurgists, it’s twice the strength of normal steel and half the weight,” Von Doom said as he knelt down to pick up a single bar, bringing it over to put in Tony’s hand. “It was to be a wedding gift for you, but I hope you’ll accept it still. Maybe it could be put towards something good in their memory.” 

“This is…this is very thoughtful of you, thank you,” Tony said as he examined the bar, wondering what he could do with it once he got some back to his workshop. He was sure he could donate the rest to his best knights, but he was definitely taking some for himself.

“You’re welcome,” Von Doom bowed his head again before looking up at Tony. “If you ever want more, I’m sure we could come to an understanding, of sorts. What belongs to Latveria is open to the Iron lands.” 

“I’m sure we can think of something we can fairly trade for it,” Tony handed the bar of steel to his Uncle so he could get a good look at it. “Do you use our iron to make it? I have to know.” 

“It is your iron, Your Majesty, that’s why it’s the best,” Von Doom smiled, taking every chance he had here to butter up Tony. He wasn’t sure what of his reputation had preceded him, so he was going to have to try extra hard to seem like a better man than he was. 

“Then why don’t we just drop the prices on our iron in exchange for you making us some of this steel. At a reasonable rate, of course,” Tony suggested, hoping they could at least get enough to outfit his more elite army. He wasn’t thrilled with the prospect of going into business with Latveria, but if it meant saving lives in the long run, he’d have to do it. 

“Our people can talk and see what they come up with. I don’t think it’s up to us Kings to negotiate the finer details of trade when there are more knowledgeable bodies to do so,” Von Doom said with a grin, having a good feeling that Tony was walking forward right into this. He was already proving himself important, now he had to prove himself as the perfect spouse. 

“You’re right,” Tony said with a sigh, looking over at Pepper and giving her a little nod. “This is my assistant, Pepper. She’ll organize a proper meeting between our people and hopefully we can get a few more cases worth of that stuff.” 

“Of course, she can talk to mine, Valeria,” Von Doom said as he gestured over to a dark haired woman in the corner, holding her own book in her hands. “Maybe while they’re talking business, we can have a much more candid conversation.”

“Yes, how rude of me, shall we go have a drink?” Tony got to his feet, gesturing towards a door behind his throne. Walking with Von Doom, he beckoned for his Uncle to follow as the door was held open for them by his guards. “You drink, right?”

“I do,” Von Doom said with another forced smile, pleased to see that Stane was coming into the room with them. Hopefully they’d be able to coax Tony onto their side together with some choice words. “Are you a wine man? Mead?” 

“I like whiskey, probably too much,” Tony moved over to the table in the sitting room, pouring three glasses half full with his personal stash of finer liquor. Handing one tumbler to Von Doom, he picked up both to give one to his Uncle, keeping one for himself. “I’ve been told I can drink too much, but it’s what gives my brain a rest at the end of the day.” 

“I still don’t think that sounds like a good habit to get into,” Stane said with a little laugh, looking at Von Doom, and promptly bowing to him. “Your Majesty, may I present myself, you may not remember me. My name is Obidiah Stane, I’m King Anthony’s Uncle.” 

“I do remember you, we had that conversation about Wakanda’s vibranium mines, you were most knowledgeable,” Von Doom lifted the whiskey to his lips to take a sip, feeling it burn all the way down his chest. “How is trade with Wakanda nowadays?” 

“It’s difficult, they’re a much richer kingdom than we are still. They’re richer than all of us put together,” Stane realized this little back and forth between him and Von Doom was more important than discussing relations between kingdoms. He had to make sure Tony knew their relationship was barely there and based only on topics like trade. 

“King T’Challa is a good man, though, I don’t think they could find a better King for managing everything he does,” Tony remarked, having nothing but respect for the man, even if he couldn’t afford his vibranium. 

“He is, King Anthony is right,” Von Doom lied through his teeth, only seeing Wakanda as his next conquest after he was done fleecing the Iron kingdom. “Too bad he couldn’t be here himself.” 

“To be fair, I didn’t think to,” said Tony as his face fell, looking sadly downwards at the floor. “I was so busy thinking about me just marrying them that I didn’t think to invite the whole world. Did someone invite you?” 

“No, we hoped to be a bit of a surprise,” Von Doom swirled the amber liquid around his glass. “I only heard about it by chance, actually, one of my men was with one of your women and word made it’s way back to me.” 

“You must have come pretty fast,” Tony’s brow knit for a moment as he tried to think of how far away Latveria was on a map. It was at least a two week ride. 

“Of course, we left right away,” Von Doom lied, not feeling the need to tell Tony they’d left this morning and used magic to get there quickly. Tony didn’t need to know what he was capable of. “I think it took thirteen days, we knew of a few good shortcuts.” 

“That’s not bad,” Tony said, not thinking any more about it as he shrugged a little and took a drink of his whiskey. “If you want some time after our drink to rest, please don’t stay up on my account. We can talk later at supper, and afterwards.” 

“I think that may be a good idea,” Von Doom nodded, looking over at Stane for a moment before giving Tony another smile. “My exhaustion is catching up to me a bit, I think the whiskey is to blame for that.” 

“Oh probably,” Tony walked over to the door, opening it, and gesturing for Pepper to come closer. 

“Yes, Sire?” Pepper asked as she came closer, leaning in just in case what Tony had to say needed to be quiet. 

“Call me Tony, I told you that.”

“Tony. Right, yes. What would you like, Tony?”

“Set my friend and his party up with some rooms in the South wing,” Tony figured he was going to have to go all out with the fanciest suite he had for Von Doom. He might as well keep him comfortable for this funeral turned wedding he had planned. It didn’t hurt to have another King watch him get married, and Von Doom seemed alright enough. Maybe the rumours about Latveria were just that. 

“Yes, alright, I’ll do that right now,” Pepper smiled weakly, looking at Tony as she could still see sadness in his expression. “When did you want me to take him to his room?” 

“You might as well alert some people to carry their luggage that way, and you can lead King Von Doom there yourself,” Tony took a sip of his drink, just wanting to pour another one. He was obviously going to have to play the nice, welcoming King on top of his plan. It sounded exhausting. 

“Yes, Tony, of course,” Pepper looked over at Von Doom, who didn’t appear to be drinking his whiskey as fast as Tony was. “Your Majesty, if you’d like to come with me, I’ll bring you to your room so you can rest.” 

“That sounds wonderful,” setting down his glass on the table, Von Doom crossed the room to stand next to Pepper, looking down at the shorter woman. “Speak to Valeria, she’ll let you know everything I require for my stay here. I should like to have her with me when we go to our rooms.”

“She’s still in the throne room, Your Majesty, would you like me to go back in and get her?” Pepper offered, standing up straight as she wondered what it was about this man that made her skin crawl. She was in no place to comment, though, she didn’t even want to let Tony know how she felt. 

“I can go with you, I’m able to walk,” Von Doom turned to look back at Tony and Stane, giving them a nod. “I shall see you both at supper. Thank you very much for your hospitality.”

“You’re very welcome,” Tony raised his glass, smiling widely as Pepper lead Von Doom from the room. As the doors closed behind him, his face fell back into a melancholy expression as he grabbed the whiskey to pour himself more. 

“That’s most unexpected,” Stane said after taking a drink, watching as Tony finished off a whole glass only to pour himself more. “I thought you seemed in good spirits, why are you drinking so much?” 

“Because the two people I love most in the world are gone,” Tony lied, though he did so without hesitation. “Thought it’s mostly because I don’t feel like playing host to a foreign King right now. I’d rather get through this funeral and start working on my kingdom.” 

“What about your workshop? Surely your workshop must bring you some happiness still,” Stane asked, realizing he hadn’t seen Tony go down there in days. He wasn’t entirely pleased by this change in behavior, not when he was so close to getting what he wanted. He was going to be the richest man in the Iron Kingdom, and he was going to spend the rest of his days eating grapes and surrounded by his gold. 

“I’ve spent too much time down there already,” Tony remarked, flopping down in a chair with a newly poured tumbler of whiskey. “It’s time I start regulating my time between being a King and being an inventor.” 

“Tony, this could be your grief talking,” Stane sighed, going to take a seat next to Tony’s, reaching over to put a hand on his arm. “You’re hurting, you have just had an immense loss. You need time to grieve properly, and I think making decisions as a King in your state could be dangerous. You’re not thinking straight.”

“I feel like I’m thinking straight…” Tony looked into the glass, avoiding his uncle’s gaze. “Uncle, I feel like…I feel like I’m waking up from a very long sleep, that Steve and Bucky yanked me out of it on their way out. I want to do something good for my people.” 

“Then wait until you’re in better shape to do so,” Stane instructed, hoping he could just keep Tony from getting too involved with things before this wedding. 

“Uncle, something’s going on,” Tony sat upright, looking into Stane’s eyes as he kept his voice stern and serious. “I didn’t want to get into this until after the wedding, but someone is stealing from the crown, from the people. Taxes are through the roof for the peasants, but I’ve asked about the state of our own coffers and we don’t have much. We definitely don’t have the money we should considering what people have been paying.” 

“I…I see…” Stane felt sick in that moment, knowing how close Tony was to the truth, not knowing if he could keep him from it for two more days. He’d obviously been doing some sleuthing. “There are a lot of people in that chain, we’ll have to take our time slowly going over the evidence so we catch the wrong person. Then we can take them to the gallows an-“

“No, we’re not doing that,” said Tony as he raised a hand to stop Stane mid-sentence, shaking his head. “We’re going to stop executing people for everything. You know what, we’re going to stop doing it at all.” 

“Surely you can’t mean that,” Stane laughed, a feeling like cold water being poured down his back radiating over him. “Tony, it helps control the criminal population, people enjoy going to executions, and it’s cheaper than housing a bunch of hoodlums.” 

“I don’t care, it’s not happening any more,” Tony shook his head again, emphatic in his newfound cause. “We are going to be gentler and more humane people, better people.” 

“And how do you propose to pay for it if we don’t have money?” asked Stane, hoping to knock this train of thought from Tony’s head. 

“I don’t know yet, I haven’t been a good King for long enough,” Tony sighed, thinking for a moment as he tapped his fingers against the outside of the glass. “I’m thinking whoever has stolen this money must have it still, either in the form of gold or possessions. We’re going to be taking every cent back.” 

“As we should,” Stane was having a hard time keeping calm through this conversation; he was going to have to change topics quick. “Tony, we can worry about that after the funeral, but…there’s something I have to discuss with you regarding it.”

“What is it?” Tony crossed his legs, the movements of his knee making his foot bounce. 

“Pepper told me you wanted it to be like a wedding still,” Stane remarked, tracing his finger over the rim of his glass, scratching at a tiny chip. 

“I want it to be like marrying Steve and Bucky even though they’re dead,” Tony clarified, looking at Stane as if he was challenging him to change his plans. “I loved them, I want them to be as loved in life as they were in death. I want them to be buried as Kings.” 

“That’s understandable,” Stane nodded sagely, bringing a hand up to stroke his beard as he turned his body to face Tony better. “But Tony, it’s not real. They won’t be married to you, they won’t be buried Kings. They won’t count for you keeping your crown.” 

“Do you know how hard it is to care about marrying someone else other than them?” Tony asked him, his voice wavering with false emotion. “I told Pepper I’d just marry her if I had to. I mean, I love her, but…not like Steve and Bucky.”

“I’m not talking about Pepper. Pepper is an awful choice,” Stane said with as gentle a voice as he could manage. “She’s a very good assistant, she’d be impossible to replace. And you can’t have your wife acting as your servant, that won’t…no, I don’t think it’s a good idea at all.” 

“So what’s your idea then?” Tony knew his Uncle had one, though he doubted he wanted to hear it. 

“King Von Doom is right here, I think you should marry him,” Stane said finally, pursing his lips as he nodded. “I don’t think this was by chance, I think this is the world of the gods. They’ve brought Von Doom to us, and who better than him for you to marry? You’ll rule over the Iron kingdom as well as Latveria, you can combine them into one great land.” 

“Uncle…” 

“Listen to me, Tony. You don’t always get to make the decisions you want to make, King or not,” Stane insisted, taking on a more authoritarian tone. “Marrying Von Doom is the best thing for this kingdom, and you don’t get to be selfish this time. You want to fix this place? He has money, you can take it to make the repairs you want. You will be able to make proper change.” 

“Uncle, I…” 

“Tony, this isn’t up for discussion, this needs to happen,” Stane was going to shut Tony down before he could even start to argue. “This visit is a blessing from the gods, and we’re going to take it as such. I hate to say that Steven and James died for fate to play out this way, but this is really for the best. This will give you the life you want.” 

“I will have the life I want, Uncle…” Tony sighed, shaking his head as he struggled with saying what was on the tip of his tongue. If it was anyone else, he would stay quiet, but he could trust Stane with his life. “They’re alive.”

“…what?” Stane almost dropped the empty glass in his hand, his eyes impossibly wide as he realized his mouth was hanging open. Composing himself, he coughed against his hand, taking a moment to wrap his head around what he’d just heard. 

“They’re alive, they’re in hiding in Bucky’s old home, no one knows so I can keep them safe,” Tony whispered even though they were alone in the room, and the heavy doors were soundproof. “The attempt on their life was real, but Natasha knew the assassin and he agreed to help us get them out and hide them. The funeral is just a front for the wedding.” 

“I...see…” Stane managed to force a smile, but inside he was screaming in frustration. He was going to kill Clint Barton if he ever crossed his path again, that bastard accepted a full payment from him. “Wait, you said they’re hiding in James’s old house? Are you sure they’re safe there?” 

“Yeah, Bucky’s friend is guarding them, they’re fine. No one’s going to find them there,” Tony grinned widely, able to finally tell his uncle the truth. “So I don’t have to marry Von Doom, or Pepper. I can marry the men I love, and then together, we’re going to fix my history of stupid mistakes.”

“Is that your plan then?” Stane asked, a new smile spreading across his face as a plan began to form in his head. Oh this was perfect, his nephew really was an idiot sometimes. He knew where they were now, it would be easy enough to wipe them out, and Von Doom would be back in the running. If they were really dead, Tony wouldn’t have the heart left in him to oppose them. 

“It is,” Tony nodded, swirling his whiskey in his glass as he watched Stane refill his own tumbler. 

“Then…good luck with that,” Stane smirked as he raised his glass to his nephew, tossing back the alcohol as he laughed inside his head.


	14. The Truth Comes Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Bucky find themselves in a dangerous situation, and Tony faces the truth.

“…you awake?”

“Mmm, mostly.”

“Good, because I can’t sleep,” Steve said as he let out a sigh, pulling Bucky closer in their pile of hay and blankets. His nose itched badly, but he didn’t want to let go of the other man. “Tomorrow is it, it’s the wedding. We’re hopefully never going to have to sleep in a pile of hay again.”

“I don’t know, it’s not that bad,” Bucky mumbled, rubbing at his eye as he snuggled against Steve, enjoying the chance to sleep next to him again. “I will admit whatever the beds at the castle are made of are more comfortable though. And soon we’ll be in the biggest, fanciest bed in that whole place.”

“Gods…yeah, we will be,” it still didn’t seem real to Steve, it was like he was waiting for everyone to come out and say that it was all a trick. His life had never been this wonderful, it was a hard thing to accept. “Bucky, does this all seem weird to you?” 

“Yes, holy shit,” Bucky laughed suddenly, petting Steve’s arm around his own chest. “I thought my life was going to be mostly lonely. I mean, I have Natasha, but she might find someone and move on, and I wouldn’t have blamed her at all. I didn’t think any man would have me, though, especially you and Tony. I think you were at the bottom of my list of people that might want me.”

“I was never at the bottom of that list,” Steve protested, pressing a kiss to Bucky’s shoulder, nuzzling the spot. “I was right up at the top. I was just a fucking idiot that couldn’t tell you that.” 

“I won’t pretend that you weren’t one, because you were,” Bucky said matter-of-factly, not about to sugar coat Steve’s behavior over the last few years. “But I have to admit, I don’t think I would have been ready for your apology for a while there. I was really angry.” 

“I guess you did a lot of wishing that you could go back in time and undo it,” Steve frowned, squeezing Bucky tighter as he felt like apologizing over and over again. 

“No,” Bucky corrected him, shaking his head before taking Steve by the hand, lacing their fingers together. “I never wished that I didn’t do it.” 

“What? Why not?” Steve blinked, genuinely surprised to hear that answer. 

“Because you’d be dead if I didn’t do it,” Bucky sighed softly, closing his eyes in the dark again. “No matter how angry I was at you, I knew your life meant more than my arm, so I was glad I did it. I was glad you were okay, I just hated you.” 

“You…” Steve wasn’t sure what to add to that, feeling like he could cry. “Buck, I don’t deserve you. You’re beautiful, you know that, right? Inside and out, there’s no one out there like you, and I’m the one that gets to call you mine. How am I supposed to go through the rest of my life without holding you for every minute of it?” 

“I’m sure Tony might want you to share,” Bucky chuckled, though Steve couldn’t see how much he was blushing in the darkness of the small room. “But I appreciate it.” 

“He’ll have to fight me for you,” Steve let out a playful growl, nipping Bucky’s collar before pressing little kisses against it. 

“Are you trying to turn me on?” 

“Mayyybe a bit.” 

“Stop that!”

“But you taste so good,” Steve purred, pulling Bucky closer again, throwing a leg over him to pull him into a full embrace. “I’m not going to let you go for anything. You are mine.” 

“You’re making things difficult!” Bucky whispered loudly, trying to stop laughing and failing miserably. He was always a sucker for Steve when he got a bit silly, there was something so cute about it. 

“Oh is that what you call that? A difficulty? I would call it a-“ Steve paused for a moment when he swore he heard something downstairs. “…Bucky, what was that?” 

“I don’t know…” Bucky didn’t move an inch, keeping his voice as low as possible. “Maybe it’s just Namor, maybe-“

Steve jumped as he heard a sound like the front door being kicked in. Unweaving himself from Bucky, he clambered over to a small hole in the middle of the floor Namor had showed him. Pushing aside the book that was covering it, he looked down into the lit room below in time to see a bleeding Namor on the floor with two guards standing over him. And more guards were coming. 

“Bucky, we have to get out of here now,” Steve said, his voice serious and stern to cover the fear flowing through him. 

“How are we going to do that?” Bucky whispered back, sitting upright in their bed. 

“I don’t know, but I don’t think we can go through the front door,” looking back down through the hole, Steve watched as some burning torches were being brought in. “Oh no…”

“Steve, what’s going on?” Bucky asked weakly, not sure he wanted to know. 

“We have to go through the roof and we have to do it now,” Steve said urgently, crawling across the floor as quietly and quickly as he could manage, pressing his hands against the inside of the roof, looking desperately for a weak spot in the thatch roof. “Bucky, start looking for a spot we can go through.” 

“Steve…” Bucky got up to do as he was told, but he was clearly worried about something. “How am I going to climb out? You’re going to have to go without me.” 

“No, it’s not happening, now keep looking,” Steve said with determination, pushing against the roof desperately. “Are there shingles on this building?” 

“Yes, but they’re old and in disrepair, it’s mostly been the thatch roofing that kept us dry,” Bucky tried to think of where he’d seen the roof leak in the past, hoping he could find a weak spot that way. “I think there’s a spot over here.” 

Bucky laid down on his back, pulling his knees against his chest and kicking out with both legs as hard as he could. He knew this roof had needed replacing back when he and Natasha moved in here, he hoped that was would work to their advantage. So when he felt his foot go through, he could have cried with relief. 

“Steve, over here!” Bucky kept kicking at the spot hard, small chunks of muddy reeds falling down over him as he gritted his teeth and worked hard to open up a bigger hole. 

“You’re doing great, Buck, you’re doing it,” Steve cheered him on, though he knew they weren’t out of this yet. He could hear the fire starting to crackle downstairs, and he knew that this whole place was so full of hay for insulation that it would go up fast. “Keep going, and then we can get out of here. Both of us.” 

“I don’t want you risking your life for me,” Bucky argued as he kicked away a bigger piece of rotted wood now, the exposed spot about half the size for them to get out. He was running out of time, but he couldn’t figure out a way to do this faster. 

“And I’m not leaving you behind. Never,” Steve insisted, looking up when he realized he heard bootsteps through the house still. The guards were looking for them, the fire was just insurance in case they couldn’t. “Bucky, we have to go now.” 

“Hang on…” Bucky closed his eyes, kicking harder, his legs aching so much he could cry, but he wasn’t about to stop.

“We don’t have time!” Steve rushed over to the spot Bucky opened up, looking at the ends of broken wood, hoping they didn’t get injured badly trying to get through the hole. 

“Steve, you have to try to squeeze through, you have go now, there’s no time,” Bucky wasn’t sure if Steve could fit through the hole he’d broken, but he had to try now. The footsteps were getting closer. 

“Not without you!” Steve reached down to Bucky, grabbing a hold of his arm. “You have to go first!”

“Steve, I can’t!” 

“You HAVE to!” Steve pleaded, starting to break. “Bucky...”

“Steve, I love you,” Bucky said as he pulled away from his fiancé, just wanting him to go, resigned to his fate. “I’ve forgiven you, I can go now.” 

“No no no,” Steve was about to grab a hold of him again when the hatch to their attic hiding spot opened with a bang. Before Steve could grab something to fight the intruder with, a tall, imposing figure with a bald head and an eyepatch came into view. 

“Steve, Bucky, come with me,” Fury said as he held out a hand towards them. “Tony said if I said the words ‘the owl has come for my meat pie’ to you that you’d come along without trouble.” 

“Tony sent you? But downstairs, I saw Namor, I heard the fire, what are you here to do to us?” Steve asked, hurrying over to put himself in between Bucky and this strange man. “Who are you?” 

“I’m your best friend right now,” Fury didn’t lower his hand, but he did lower his voice. “Your friend was attacked and killed before we could do anything for him, I’m sorry. The fire’s been put out, you’re safe now, but I’m still taking you back to the castle.” 

“He knew the phrase, Steve…” Bucky pointed out, holding Steve’s shoulder as he looked over it. “Tony wouldn’t have given it to him if he didn’t trust him completely. And it looks like he’s saved us.” 

“…alright,” Steve walked forward, heading for the hatch as Fury turned to walk back down. Not letting go of Bucky for a moment, Steve followed him, his heart beating fast in his chest. He couldn’t help but worry this was a trick, even with Tony’s phrase in use. 

“We were watching the house, but we were too late to save the man downstairs, and we’re very sorry for that,” Fury said as he accompanied them to the main floor where there were a few dead guards lying on the floor close to Namor, who was staring blankly at the ceiling. 

“I thought Tony wasn’t going to tell anyone we were here,” Steve frowned, wishing he could just see Tony so he could clear it all up. 

“You’ll see him soon enough. We’re going to need to get you there in secret after we torch this place,” Fury ushered them towards the door where one of his men stood with two robes. “As far as anyone will be able to tell, it’s us escorting two clergy members to the castle. And considering there’s a funeral there tomorrow and streets are dangerous right now, no one will think twice about that.”

“Why are you still burning this place? What about Namor’s body?” Bucky asked, wanting more for his friend than to just be left in a burning building. 

“The people that sent these guards need to think they succeeded, and the body will help that narrative,” Fury took one of the robes, handing it to Bucky. “I have a pin so we can put your sleeves together, and the arm is already stuffed, no one should suspect anything.” 

“Thank you…” Bucky took the robes, putting them on, just wanting out of that house and away from Namor’s blank eyes. 

“How did they find us?” Steve queried as he put his own robes on, putting the heavy hood over his face. He had no idea how the monks wore these, they were so cumbersome and bulky. 

“I’ll let the King go over that with you,” Fury nodded at the man who had been holding the robes who lead the way out. Walking out behind Steve and Bucky, he leaned in closer as they began to walk towards a waiting cart. 

“Are you sure we’re safe?” Bucky frowned as they were loaded up into the covered cart, staying close to Steve. 

“You’re as safe as any of us can guarantee,” Fury said as he got up in the cart with them, signaling for the driver to take them to the castle. 

“That doesn’t make me feel too much better,” Steve wrapped an arm around Bucky once he was sure that they wouldn’t be seen. “Will we see Tony tonight?” 

“I’m sure he’ll want to see you. He’d not expecting you, as such, but he thought you might be coming,” Fury looked out the window, keeping his eyes open for anyone looking suspicious. He had half a dozen men accompanying them back to the castle, but he wasn’t taking any chances either. 

“Are my mom and Natasha okay?” Steve couldn’t help inquiring about them, especially considering what happened to Namor. 

“As far as we can figure, they were never any sort of target, but we did give them more security just to be certain,” Fury said, looking over at Bucky. “New security in Natasha’s case, I heard what happened to the ones who were supposed to be watching over you.” 

“Thank you,” Bucky nodded, just glad that their family members were okay, though he knew he’d feel better when he saw them for himself. 

“It’s going to be okay, Buck, we’re okay,” Steve kept a tight arm around him, talking out loud both to soothe Bucky’s nerves and his own. “Everything is going to be just fine.” 

Steve was glad that it wasn’t a long trip to the castle, but every foot still seemed like a mile. By the time they got there, his stomach had calmed, having told himself that these people wouldn’t save them from being murdered only to murder them at the castle. He couldn’t wait to talk to Tony, though, he wanted to know if he knew who would have attacked them. Someone definitely knew something they weren’t telling him. 

“Are we going inside? What if we’re seen?” Bucky asked as the cart pulled up in front of the stables and Nick Fury got to his feet to get out. 

“You’re going to the storage room beneath the chapel where your coffins are. Now act old,” Fury gestured for them to disembark after him, holding out a hand to help a hunched over Bucky. Remembering to grab his real arm, Fury got Bucky down in one piece before assisting Steve. 

“Do you think this guy knows what he’s doing?” Bucky whispered to Steve as he did his best to walk like an old man towards the doors. The hood covered more of his face than he realized, he had to follow the sound of Fury’s footfalls in front of him. 

“So far he seems competent,” Steve replied, keeping close, knowing that they couldn’t be heard talking. He would try to disguise his voice, but Sam always just laughed at him whenever he tried to do a voice other than his own. Being quiet was probably safer. 

Walking down the long hallway to the chapel, Fury took them right into the grandly decorated room illuminated by the light of the full moon. The seats were all decorated in red fabric and gold ribbons, with white flowers displayed in crystal vases at the end of every row. At the front hanging above the stage was a beautiful arrangement of flowers with red and gold ribbons draping down from them. On the ribbons were Steve, Bucky, and Tony’s names in flawless script, along with tomorrow’s date. 

“Wow…” Steve whispered, leaning his head back to see as they walked up the aisle, going around the stage to a door hidden behind it. “It’s beautiful in there. Did you see, Bucky?” 

“I can’t see anything,” Bucky chuckled quietly, eager for the moment when he could take this hood off his head. He was nervous he was going to trip as they went through the door and down a flight of stone stairs, wishing he could reach out and grab onto the wall. There wasn’t one on his side, however, so Steve was going to have to do.

“You two can take those hoods off for now,” Fury said when they got to the bottom of the stairs, leading them over past a pair of polished wood coffins, and over to a room full of old books and boxes of candles. “You should be safe in here.”

“My gods…” Bucky threw back the hood, taking a deep breath of relief as he looked over at Steve doing the same. “I don’t want to be a monk. Ever.” 

“That’s good, because I don’t want you to be a monk either,” Steve exhaled, scratching the back of his head as he stood upright. “I think I’d miss you too much, as well as, well…”

“Stop it, I’m not here to listen to that,” Fury waved at them to stop, wincing a bit as his single brown eye stared them down. “You two are going to stay right here, the door to the chapel is guarded by my men, they won’t let anyone down here. You don’t have to whisper, but don’t be shouting or anything just in case. And no funny business.”

“What’s funny business?” Bucky asked once Fury was gone and up the stairs, turning to look at Steve with a shrug. “You don’t think he means f-mmph!”

Steve didn’t wait for Bucky to stop talking, he rushed forward and pulled Bucky into a deep, passionate kiss. Letting it linger for a moment, he finally let it break before punctuating it with another quick peck. Wrapping his arms around Bucky tightly, Steve just held him close, feeling tears pricking his eyes from the fright they were put through. 

“I love you more than anything, and when I thought I was going to lose you in that attic, I wanted to die alongside you,” said Steve when he could finally find the words to express what was going on in his head. “I love you and Tony, I can’t live without you.” 

“I love you too,” Bucky sniffed, clutching Steve as close to his body as he could, not wanting to let go of him. “I didn’t want you to die for me, Steve. I didn’t want to lose you either, and I didn’t want to leave Tony alone. I was just…it was fucking scary.” 

“It was, but it’s over. Hopefully,” Steve opened his eyes as he looked around in the low light of the lantern Fury had left them. “I think we can trust this guy, I hope so anyway. We don’t know if Tony’s figured out what’s going on.” 

“Just...just hold me, okay?” Bucky said softly, scared and feeling utterly helpless as he buried his face against Steve’s neck. Closing his eyes, he wanted to shut out everything in this world except for the two men he loved with all his heart. 

“Of course…” Steve held Bucky against him, stroking his hair, humming softly as he did his best to comfort him. His own efforts on Bucky were slowly working on him, making his heart slow in his chest. Just the scent of the other man was bringing him to a level of peace that nothing else could. 

Nothing, save for one thing.

“Bucky! Steve!” said Tony from the bottom of the stairs, running into their circle of light to throw his arms around them both. It was a beautiful, but tearful reunions between the three of them as Bucky and Steve opened their embrace to welcome Tony into it. 

“Tony, what’s going on?” Steve asked after a long moment of just holding each other, though he wasn’t about to let either go. 

“I know who tried to kill you,” Tony frowned, his voice grave and troubled sounding as he looked between the two of them. “I had to be sure, I had to tell him where you were to see if he would make a move. I’m so sorry, but you had Nick Fury guarding over you, so I thought you’d be safe in his hands. I’m sorry your friend wasn’t.” 

“Who tried to kill us?” Bucky needed to know, he needed to know where all of this was coming from. “Tony, I feel like I’m going out of my mind, is this over? You have to tell me it’s over.”

“My Uncle has been trying to kill you, just the same as he’s been trying to set me up with Victor Von Doom,” the rage in Tony’s tone shook his voice to the core, his dark eyes shining with anger in the light of the flame. “He’s betrayed my trust, he’s fleeced my people with his fake high taxes, and he tried to make me marry that…Fury filled me in on who Von Doom really is. He’s a tyrant that oppresses his people into lives of slavery and torture. He’s a monster, and he was ready do to that to the Iron Kingdom.” 

“Seriously?” Steve’s jaw dropped, absolutely shocked that the polite, gentle man he’d had a few conversations with would do all of that. Though he supposed the best place to hide if you were committing acts like that might be right in the open. 

“Has he been arrested?” questioned Bucky, really hoping the answer to that was yes. He didn’t want to have to be afraid any longer.

“No, not yet, in due time,” Tony said, pursing his lips as he exhaled sharply through his nose. He’d never been so furious in all his life, he’d never felt so hurt either. This was worse than losing his father, his father had died of natural causes through no fault of either of them. But this, the man he’d loved all his life, the man who had raised him, the man he thought wanted nothing but the best for him…

“What are you going to do?” Steve frowned, rubbing Tony’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze to let him know they were there. That they’d do anything he needed. 

“I have a plan,” the corners of Tony’s mouth tugged up into a little but sinister smile, his hands gripping the smalls of Bucky and Steve’s backs as his grin widened. “And I think you’re going to love it.”


	15. Long Live The Starks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony takes the pulpit in front of the congregation, but what does he have to say?

When the morning of the funeral came, there was no shortage of mourners funneling their way through the busy corridors to the chapel. Everyone was in their best clothes, though not their usual funeral attire, as Tony had put a message out that he wanted everyone dressed in bright, joyous colours. Despite many people thinking that the King had lost his mind and that it was disrespectful to the dead to dress as such, not one attending party chose to wear black. Even Von Doom had chose to wear a green outfit rather than the dark one he’d packed. 

Though the colour of his clothes were the last thing on his mind. 

“You promised me a wedding, Stane,” Von Doom whispered sharply from the front row where the two men were sat side by side. 

“I couldn’t make him budge, especially once they were really dead,” Stane shot back, just as annoyed by the situation as Von Doom was. He thought today was going to be the last day he needed to worry about his plan. But Tony had asked him for one more week to mourn, and he couldn’t think of a good enough reason to deny him. There was still time until his birthday, after all.

“I don’t feel like spending my time hanging around waiting,” scoffed Von Doom, trying not to look as angry as he felt. He’d wanted to marry Tony and head right back for Latveria, this place was entirely too colourful and pleasant for him.

“And I don’t feel like waiting either. Too much is at stake,” Stane pointed out. It was more than just comfort that was concerning him. Though at least he knew Steven and James were actually dead this time, even if it had taken a few of his own guards to do the job. At least one came back to tell him it was done. 

“We shouldn’t be talking in public like this, even quietly,” Von Doom said sternly, his own way of ending the conversation as he leaned back in the wood pew, looking around the room at the lavish decorations. What a waste of money. 

“Mhm,” Stane grunted in return, sitting upright and smoothing the front of his rich, burgundy robes, fingers tracing over the colourful embroidery of birds and flowers. It was the nicest, most vibrant garment he owned, and he knew if he didn’t stick to Tony’s dress code, he was going to hear about it later. 

“When is this starting?” Von Doom had to say after a few moments of silence, the rest of the room murmuring the same question as they all sat in wait. 

“I don’t know, this is ridiculous,” Stane huffed, looking backwards for any sign of his nephew emerging. “He’s probably still upset about them dying or something. He’s acting like a child though, this is just stupid.” 

“This is why I wouldn’t marry for love,” stated Von Doom, looking at Stane with a serious expression. “Love is nothing but an easy way to make yourself vulnerable. I won’t taint my life with it.” 

“Good idea,” Stane agreed, having had the same creed in life himself. Love was easy enough to fake, Tony had grown up believing the link existed between them. He saw his nephew as nothing more than a tool to use in order to get what he wanted and nothing more. 

“Oh, I think something’s…” Von Doom looked over his shoulder as the crowd began to get to their feet, slowly standing himself. As the music began to play, he did his best to put on a facial expression that was more neutral and fought the urge to roll his eyes. For the life of him, he didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. 

“Thank the gods, I thought I was going to die waiting for it myself,” said Stane with a laugh disguised in a cough. It was going to be hard getting through this nonsense with a straight face. He’d danced when Steve and Bucky died, both times, and he was mentally spinning and clapping his hands now. He cared not for Tony’s loss, only for his own gains. “Let’s just hurry up and get this over with.”

As the doors opened to a fanfare of horns, Tony walked into view looking more like a king than he ever had in his life. Wearing beautifully tailored red and gold robes featuring thousands of hours of embroidery work, his red velvet and white fur lined cape fanned out behind him as he walked forward. Around his neck was a heavy gold chain with the red sun of their church, and on his hand a thick matching ring that signified his crown. On top of his neatly combed dark hair was his crown, polished to shining, each gem sparkling in the sunlight passing through the windows. 

And as he stepped forward, the stoic look he’d adopted didn’t waver for a moment. 

Walking to the front of the room, Tony approached a wood chair that had been placed between the two coffins set up on stage. Reaching out, he put his hands on both, murmuring something just loud enough to be heard, running his fingers across the polished surfaces. He stood motionless for what seemed like minutes before he finally took his seat, keeping his hands on the coffins as he nodded his head to signal to the waiting priest. 

“Followers of our Gods, please be seated,” the priest, an old man with one white eye, said to the crowd as they all collectively sat back down on the pews. Once the chapel was silent again, the priest continued. “This is a day of both mourning and celebration, of both life and death, and you have all been invited by His Majesty, King Anthony to share it with him. For it is the lives of Steven Grant Rogers and James Buchanan Barnes that bring us here today, though many of us here never met these two men. But we know the love that King Anthony held for them, so much that he asked them both for their hands in marriage, a deep bond that he treasures with all his heart.” 

“Until next week,” Stane muttered under his breath, outraged by what a farce this all was. Tony didn’t know what love was, he was as selfish and self centered as his Uncle, though he chose his own interests rather than money. He was going to be as clueless as to what was going on in his own kingdom after he married Von Doom as he’d ever been. Stane was willing to bet on it. 

“Uatu, the Watcher, is always looking down on us,” the priest continued, his voice trembling as he spoke out loud enough for everyone to hear. “He was watching down on those who wished ill for Steven and James, he was watching when that person had them torn from this life, and he was watching when King Anthony learned of his loss. Though he does not interfere in any way, that does not mean he doesn’t have his eyes focused on us all. He is here in this room right now, looking down on us, recording our words and actions for the other Gods to examine.” 

‘Give me a break,’ thought Stane, mentally scoffing at the religious bullshit the priest was spewing. He believed in the Gods about as much as he believed that he could sprout wings and fly around the room. The superstitious nonsense he endured to just live in normal society was annoyingly high sometimes. 

“And now as he watches down on us, I call forward our King, His Majesty, Anthony the first to come forward,” the priest said as he gestured over to Tony, who was doing his best to look broken up as he rose from his chair, slowly drawing his hands away from the coffins. “He has asked me to speak to you all himself about the lives of Steven and James, and as he knew them best, it would seem most fitting. Please, Your Highness, step forward and give us all a glimpse of these men, who have been taken from us too soon.” 

“Thank you, good sir,” Tony said as he walked up to the pulpit, looking out over the crowd as he allowed a tear to escape his eye and run down his cheek. “S-sorry, I…”

He should be used to this, he should have spoken in front of crowds dozens of times by now, yet here he was as new to this as Bucky and Steve would be. It wasn’t that he was afraid, he just felt like he couldn’t possibly do a decent job of this. He was going to have to get good though, and fast, he’d run out of time to just slack off. 

“This isn’t easy for me in any way, I’m sorry if I don’t exactly sound kingly right now,” Tony laughed nervously, planting both hands against the pulpit, taking a deep breath. “I know I’ve got this fancy crown, and a cape, and nice clothes, but I would trade it all to be with Steve and Bucky. They are more to me than anything, more than power or wealth or…I didn’t know what love was until I met them and…” 

Closing his eyes, Tony broke down a little, shaking his head as he felt tears fall off the bottom of his jaw. He could hear their voices telling him to keep going, that he was doing great, and that he could do this. They would be there for him when Stane was gone, they were going to be his family now, and they could do this.

“They still make me want to be a better version of myself, they make me want to be a better King,” Tony continued, looking heavenwards for a moment as he sighed. “So I want to announce that, as of now, I am going to be that King. I am going to take over my kingdom, lower taxes, and give back to the people like I should have been doing for years. I will fail the Iron kingdom no more.” 

“He’s starting to concern me, Stane,” Von Doom whispered to the man beside him, his arms crossed over his broad chest. 

“It’s nothing, don’t worry,” reassured Stane, patting Von Doom’s arm, though his own nerves were getting rather frayed. This wasn’t the Tony he’d been able to control all these years, this was a very different man standing before him. 

“Are you sure about that?” Von Doom asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked back up at Tony standing at the pulpit.

“Just shut up about it!” Stane hissed quietly, looking over his shoulder at the guarded door, wondering if he could excuse himself by faking a headache. He couldn’t stand to hear much more of this. 

“So, as my first act as your King, your proper King, I will ask for the woman who would be my new mother, and the other who is like a sister to step forward. And I’d ask them to bring to me what I gave to them this morning,” Tony said, keeping his expression as calm as possible as the heavy doors at the back of the chapel opened. He tried to keep his eyes forward as much as he could, but it was hard to not look over at Stane as Sarah and Natasha stepped forward with Steve and Bucky on their arms.

“No…” Stane gasped, having to catch the volume of his voice at the last moment there lest he give himself away. 

“Stane…” Von Doom’s tone was low and dangerous, his teeth grinding together as he clenched his jaw tighter. 

“I give to you, my people, your future kings, Steven and James,” Tony grinned widely as they approached the stage, dressed regally in blue and black respectively. “Now, I realize this is going to take a bit of explaining, this is supposed to be a funeral and yet the dead are right here, ready to marry me instead. It is rather confusing, it took me a little while to figure it out. Too long, actually, if I’m going to be honest. So I’ll just turn this over to the person who knows what’s going on. My uncle, Obadiah Stane. Stand up, Uncle, take a bow.” 

“W-wh-what…?” Stane got to his feet as instructed, though he didn’t bow to the crowd, he only stared at Steve and Bucky, then back at Tony. “Nephew, this isn’t what it looks like…”

“Isn’t it? You didn’t try to kill the men I love twice?” Tony demanded, stepping away from the pulpit and closer to his guilty Uncle. “You didn’t steal from this kingdom? You didn’t tell me for years that taxes were low and prosperity was high? And meanwhile, the only one prospering was YOU! You selfish, petty, small man…” Tony took a deep breath, shaking his head. “You have no place in my life any more. I have half a mind to just let Von Doom there take you back to Latveria with him. Just half a mind, though.” 

“I did the best job I could for you, Tony, please…” Stane begged, walking closer to Tony, bowing down to him. He wanted to go to that cold, dreary place as much as he wanted to eat a bowl of glass. “I’m sorry, I was wrong. I promise you, I can do better if you give me the chance. I can be a better Uncle to you.” 

“Fury,” Tony said with a nod towards his uncle, smiling as Nick Fury stepped forward himself with two guards at his side. “Arrest this man for plotting against the crown, attempted murder, theft, and anything else you can possibly throw at him so he spends the rest of his life in a jail cell. You’re lucky I got rid of the death penalty, Uncle, or maybe you’re not. A life inside is going to be a lot more boring than death.” 

“No! No, you can’t do this!” Stane shouted as Fury pulled his hands behind his back to bind them together. “I made this stupid fucking kingdom and it will fall apart without me! Everything will fall apart, and I will laugh in your faces!”

“Yeah yeah, tell us another one,” Fury said as the guards took a hold of Stane, leading them down the aisle Bucky and Steve had just walked up. He was enjoying his slow walk through the chorus of booing, though he didn’t think that Stane was. 

“Now, Von Doom,” Tony turned to the other King next, smiling at him. “Do you really want to stay here and watch me get married? Or would you rather just scurry back to Latveria now that your plans have gone to shit? Because, if I’m going to be truthful, I don’t particularly need or want you here. So…what is it?” 

Tony didn’t say a word as Von Doom got to his feet, glared at him, and then stormed his way to the doors. All he could do was smile as he disappeared from view and the heavy doors closed again. It had taken him years to find out where the poison in his life was coming from, and in minutes, he’d excised and disposed of it. Now he was truly open and ready to move forward into something much better and healthier. 

“So should we get married?” Tony asked Steve and Bucky casually before a wide grin broke out on his face. Pulling them both into a hug, he didn’t want to let go of them for anything. He didn’t know how he was going to get through a whole wedding before he could kiss them. 

“Now’s a good a time as any,” Bucky said with a shrug, unable to keep smiling himself as he gave Tony a squeeze, wishing he could do the same with Steve beside him. Instead, he leaned a head against the other man, knowing that he would know what that meant. 

“Let’s do it then,” Steve beamed, really tempted to just drag these two to a room where they could be alone, but he knew that would come later. But he couldn’t help being incredibly impatient at the same time. 

“Good sir, would you do us the honours?” Tony asked the priest, who was seated off to the side and in shock by everything that had just happened. “We don’t need a long ceremony or anything, but if I could be married to these two, that would be great.” 

“We don’t have crowns made up, do we?” the priest asked in a shaky voice as he slowly got up and moved over to them. 

“We do, they were supposed to buried in them,” Tony let go of his fiancés, going over to their coffins and opening them up to reveal two gold crowns with red jewels encircling them. Carrying them over, he put them on the pulpit just before he reached into his pocket to pull out two gold rings like his own. “I thought of everything.” 

“You certainly did,” smiled the priest, who touched the crown and the rings, saying a small blessing upon both before drawing his hands back. “The three of you, join hands before me, we shall begin.” 

“You really want to do this? Both of you?” Tony had to ask before they started, knowing that he wasn’t just asking them to join him in marriage, but in ruling an entire kingdom. 

“I do,” Bucky nodded, not hesitating in the least. 

“Me too,” Steve added, just as determined in his tone as Bucky. “I’m ready to work hard and make this place a shining example to the world.” 

“Then let’s do this,” Tony laughed, turning to the priest and giving him a grin. “We’re ready, please give us the blessing of the gods.” 

“And you shall have them,” the priest said as he turned from them to the rest of the congregation. “Children of the Gods, rejoice, for we are about to see the creation of one new family from three. We will witness as these three men pledge themselves to each other, and the future of our kingdom. They will learn from the successes and mistakes of the past, and move forward to write their history in our books, and more importantly, the tomes of our Gods. Blessed are they.” 

“Blessed are they,” the congregation repeated obediently, Sarah Rogers eyes shining with tears as she spoke with them. 

“Anthony Edward Stark, do you accept these two men into your heart? Do you pledge to give them the best of yourself every single day? Do you swear your loyalty to them through troubles or triumphs?” asked the priest as he reached out to touch Tony’s shoulder. 

“I do, good sir, with a full heart and a clear head,” Tony said as he looked between Bucky and Steve, his face aching from smiling so much. 

“And do you Steven Grant Rogers accept these two men into your heart? Do you pledge to give them the best of yourself every single day? Do you swear your loyalty to them through troubles or triumphs?” the priest touched Steve next, his pale old hand giving his arm a squeeze.

“With a full heart and a clear head, I do, good sir,” Steve felt a bit light headed, but he was pretty sure he kept forgetting to breathe. He supposed he was going to have to get used to standing in front of a room full of people. 

“James Buchanan Barnes,” it was Bucky’s turn for the priest’s attention, the old man laying his hand on his armless shoulder. “Do you accept these two men into your heart? Do you pledge to give them the best of yourself every single day? Do you swear your loyalty to them through troubles or triumphs?”

“I do, good sir,” Bucky nodded a little before catching himself and stilling his head. “With a full heart and a clear head.” 

“Now, the rings. Anthony, if you would remove yours and pass it to Steven,” the priest directed, waiting for them to do so. “Now, Steven, place the ring on Anthony’s left ring finger an-“

“Really quick, sorry, but Bucky doesn’t have a left hand, so I’d like mine on my right like his,” Tony pointed out, knowing it was rude to interrupt the priest, but he couldn’t have exactly explained this beforehand. 

“Then Steven, place the ring on Tony’s right ring finger and pledge your life to him,” the priest said, the corner of his mouth tugging up into an amused smile. He hadn’t minded the interruption, he found Tony’s wish to be rather sweet. 

“Tony, I pledge my life to you, I…” Steve had a speech planned in his head, but it was all gone now, not even leaving scraps behind to go off of. Slipping the ring on Tony’s finger, he decided to just wing it. “Tony, I know a lottery brought us together, but that’s not what keeps us together. In the short time I’ve known you, you’ve been thoughtful, kind, and I love spending time with you. What I love even more is how you treat Bucky too, my heart sings every time I see him smile because of you. I don’t want to be with just him, I want to be with both of you. I love you both, Tony and Bucky, I always will.” 

“Anthony, if you could take Bucky’s ring,” the priest held out both rings, not sure which one was Bucky’s. “Place it upon his finger and pledge your life to James.” 

“Bucky, my Bucky, I gladly pledge my life to you,” Tony said, tears in his eyes as he slipped the finger onto Bucky’s hand, bringing it up to his lips to press a kiss to his knuckles. “You are so beautiful, and I know you don’t always believe it, but you are. You are one of the gentlest people I’ve ever met. You and Steve are exactly who I need in my life, you’re perfect together, and you fit with me even better. It’s like those little machines I make, they only run right with every piece in place. And now I can finally be the person I’m meant to be because I have you both. I love you both so much.” 

“James, please take Steven’s ring and place it on his finger, pledging your life to him,” the priest’s hand extended forward as Bucky took the ring from his palm. 

“Steve, you know I mean it when I say I pledge my life to you,” Bucky begged his trembling fingers not to drop the ring, mentally cheering when he managed to get it on Steve’s finger. “I gave an arm for you when you were ill, and it was the best decision I ever made in my life. I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t here, I wouldn’t be strong enough to make this journey without you. Tony and I are great together, but we need you too. You make me feel so safe, Steve, you…you make me feel more important than a king. You both do. I love you so much, I don’t want to lose you for anything.” 

“You have made your promises and pledges to each other, and in the eyes of the Gods, your love is judged as just and true. With the blessing of those above, I announce that you are all eternally bound in marriage,” the priest said, clasping his hands together for a moment before raising them up above his head. “Children of the Gods, give your blessings for these three. May they move forward in this life together with love, and may that first step start with a kiss.” 

Tony, Steve, and Bucky all looked at each other, smiles breaking out on their faces at the priest’s words. As Tony stepped forward, he leaned in to press a short, but tender, kiss to Bucky’s lips before he turned to do the same to Steve. Stepping back, he teared up watching as Steve pulled Bucky into a kiss between them, letting it linger for a little longer before breaking it. 

“We’re married…” Bucky said in a whisper, practically going out of his skin with excitement. He couldn’t stop biting his bottom lip, and if he didn’t, he was going to make himself bleed soon. 

“We are, but this isn’t done yet,” smiled Tony, having a quick word with the priest before picking up one of the crowns. “My husbands, Steven and James, kneel before me.”

“Yes, my love,” Steve said, immediately doing as he was told, lowering his head in respect as well. Bucky just nodded and knelt quickly beside his husband, though he couldn’t help but look up at Tony. 

“Lift your head, Steve, and lower yours, Bucky,” Tony instructed with a smile, waiting for them to do so before placing the crown on top of Steve’s head, and then Bucky’s. Stepping aside for a moment, he let the priest lay a blessing on them before Tony returned to his spot directly in front of his husbands. “As my husbands, you are entitled and I willingly give to you the positions of Kings of the Iron Kingdom. With those titles, I know going forward that you will both work in the best interest of your people. I know you will be amazing. Rise, King Steven Stark and King James Stark, and greet your people.” 

As Steve and Bucky turned, they were shocked to see everyone in the chapel rising to their feet. Standing on the stage with Tony between them, the two poor boys who had pledged marriage between them years ago were now standing with crowns on their heads, and rings on their hands promising themselves to each other as well as Tony. They’d said way back then they’d be rich one day, that they’d live in comfort with each other into their old age, but it had just been a dream then. And after so many years apart, that had long fallen into nothing. 

But here they were now. Together. Married. Kings. 

“Long live the Starks!” a man in the crowd yelled out suddenly, only to be copied by everyone else in the room. Soon, it was so loud in the chapel that it was almost impossible to even think. 

“Long live the Starks,” Tony echoed, wrapping his arms around his husbands, holding them close.


	16. Wedding Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony, Steve, and Bucky enjoy their wedding night together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don’t want to read sex, skip this chapter. It’s not key to the plot.

“Oh my gods, how much did we drink?” Tony moaned as he came from the other room where Jarvis had undressed the three of them as to not ruin their fancy wedding clothes. Now, just in their underclothes, they were finally alone for the first time all day. It was what he’d been waiting for since they were reunited earlier, and now that the time had come, he couldn’t help being nervous.

“I don’t know. A lot,” Bucky mumbled, playing with the loose arm of his undershirt, still nervous about taking it off.

“Did you see Sam? I was glad he didn’t have to work, it was funny seeing him get that drunk,” Steve laughed, sitting on the edge of the bed, though he wondered if he was being too bold taking a seat there. “I didn’t even know he could dance like that, especially on a table. Natasha sure got a laugh over it.”

“What are you going to do, set them up?” Bucky asked, pouring another glass for himself from the selection of bottles on the little table near the bed.

“We could, they might get along,” Steve shrugged, though he hadn’t thought about it until now. “I mean, I’ve never really set anyone up before, I don’t know how about you do it. But they seem to like each other.”

“Why don’t we just see how they get along themselves?” queried Bucky, taking a drink and licking his lips, loving this whiskey business. “I mean, you and I got together without any help.”

“And I needed a lottery to get you both, so sometimes extra help is needed,” Tony laughed as he sat down on a couch, reclining and putting his feet up on an ottoman.

“We’ll worry about it another time anyway,” Steve said passively, laughing as well as he looked down at his bare feet. It had always been so easy to flirt with Bucky, but it was kind of different with the three of them so far. He was sure all the pressure they’d been under didn’t help either.

“So…it’s our wedding night…” Tony was pretty much reading Steve’s mind at the moment, wondering where his normal confidence had gone. “I mean, I know we all want this, so…what are we waiting for?”

“…are you sure you want me to…?” Bucky gestured to his shirt, reaching over to tug the loose hanging sleeve. “I get that it’s not exactly sexy, I can keep the shirt on to cover it up, it’s not going to upset me if y-“

“Take it off,” said Steve suddenly.

“I agree, take it off,” Tony chimed in, winking at Bucky and blowing him a kiss. “I have been dying to see you with less clothing, and I don’t give a shit if you’re missing an arm, or if you have a hundred nipples, I want to see you. You’re beautiful just as you are.”

“It’s not though, it’s-“

“You’re our Bucky, and we love our Bucky just as he is,” Steve added, not about to let Bucky talk about himself that way. “You were always gorgeous naked, and I don’t think that’s changed. I know you’re sure of yourself that you look a certain way, but the two of us are sure of ourselves too, and we both think you’re going to look just as good, if not better than we do.”

“You’re just trying to flatter me,” Bucky blushed, setting his glass down as he looked down at his feet.

“And it better be working because we want to see some skin, damn it,” Tony whistled, clapping his hands together with a cheeky smile on his face. “Take it off! Take it off!”

“Come on, Buck, it’s just us,” Steve coaxed, smiling when Bucky’s hand fell down to the bottom of his shirt, playing with the hem. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“I-if you’re so sure…” Bucky took a deep breath, looking between them for a moment before he closed his eyes and tugged the shirt up and over his head, dropping it to the floor. Eyelids still shut, he rocked on his feet nervously for a moment. “Well, say something. You’re freaking me out.”

Where Bucky’s arm had been was a relatively clean, but thick scar over the bone of his clavicle. The entire arm itself was gone, every inch of the bone having been torn clean from Bucky’s body. It wasn’t nearly as gory and twisted looking to the others as it was to Bucky, but he was the one who’d had to live with what was done to him. The only person in the world who’d seen what that wizard did to him was Natasha, though he wasn’t hoping to sleep with her. He hoped desperately that this hadn’t soured him for the others.

“Bucky, may I?” Tony asked, getting to his feet to go over, waiting for Bucky to nod before running his fingers over the scar. “He really got it all, didn’t he?”

Bucky just nodded, not sure what to think of that reaction, but afraid that if he tried to talk, his voice would just crack.

“It’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” Steve joined Tony at his side, reaching to take Bucky by the hand, giving it a squeeze. “I mean, I think I was picturing the worst, and even then, it didn’t matter to me. It’s just hard to see that you went through something so painful for me.”

“It’s better to have you here and have that gone,” Bucky said finally, looking up into Steve’s eyes, smiling at him as the last of the stress of showing off his arm left him. They weren’t disgusted, they were treating him like normal, he wasn’t being pushed away like he so dreaded.

“I’m going to agree that it’s good Steve is here,” Tony leaned in to give Bucky a soft kiss against the raised scar, nuzzling the spot afterwards. “But your sacrifice should be honoured. Thank you, Bucky, for making sure both of you made it here to me.”

“He’s right. Thank you,” Steve leaned over, pressing his own kiss against Bucky’s scar, and then one against the man’s lips for a brief moment. “Thank you so much, Bucky, you saved my life. I owe you everything, I wouldn’t be here if you didn’t do this for me. I can’t say it enough…”

“You don’t have to say it, I wanted you to stay,” Bucky blushed at the attention, rather enjoying it. “You don’t have to fuss on me, I’m okay now that I know you’re both good with it. I’m so glad you’re-“

Before Bucky could get too emotional, Tony’s mouth found his, moaning hungrily as their tongues met. Bucky felt like his legs were going to give out as the kiss deepened, his knees trembling as Steve came up from behind him to nip a line down his neck and across his collarbone. Sandwiched between the two men paying him a lot of attention, Bucky reached back with his hand to cup Steve’s head as his tongue danced against Tony’s.

“I think we should move this to bed…” Tony panted when the kiss finally broke, flushed with arousal as he reached down to pull his own shirt up and over his head. “What do you two think?”

“I’m good with that,” Bucky took a few deep breaths, trying to clear his head enough to walk to the bed right.

“Same here,” said Steve, who was entirely too impatient with all this talk and not enough action. Scooping Bucky up into his arms, he walked across the wood floor to the bed, placing him down onto it as he looked down at what was left of his clothes. “Mind if I take these off?”

“Only if you take yours off too,” Bucky grinned, biting his bottom lip as Steve took a hold of the dark underwear, pulling them down his legs and off in one motion. “That’s me, what about you? And you, Tony, I shouldn’t be the only naked one here.”

“Oh believe me, you won’t be,” Tony said as he dropped his underwear to the ground along with Steve, both men crawling onto the bed. “Bucky, my beautiful Bucky, there’s nothing I won’t do for you.”

“So what would you do if I asked you to kiss me again?” Bucky asked, his voice sweet as he looked over at Tony and batted his lashes.

“What would I do? I’d say something like…” Tony crawled closer, his eyes shining in the light of the fireplace, studying each and every mark on Bucky’s body. “Steve, fuck his brains out while I keep him busy. Stuff’s on the nightstand.”

“What?” Bucky’s question was lost as Tony kissed him hard again, pinning him down against the bed. Closing his eyes, he felt Tony’s fingers encircling his wrist, pushing it down against the mattress as he slid partially on top of him. The weight of being pinned down under Tony was enough to elicit a weak groan from Bucky, though he didn’t break the kiss.

“I can do that,” Steve agreed, looking over at the nightstand, specifically an ornate glass jar with a blue top. Reaching over, he picked it up and removed the cap to peer inside at what looked like rendered tallow but smelled sweet. Dipping a finger in, he realized the substance was very oily, and knew immediately it was going to work a lot better than spit did.

Scooping up some of the slick lotion, Steve’s hand moved between Bucky’s legs, holding his breath as he slowly pushed the pads of his fingers against Bucky’s entrance. Immediately the tips of his fingers disappeared inside him, and Steve let out the breath he’d be holding. It was so warm inside Bucky, so tight, it was just like he remembered, but he wanted to feel more. Pulling his fingers back, he got more of the substance on them before sliding inside Bucky again, stretching him carefully before adding a third.

“You okay, Buck?” Tony asked as he broke his lips apart from Bucky’s only to start kissing and biting up his neck. “Everything going okay? You like the two of us spoiling you?”

“Oh fuck yeah,” Bucky’s voice trembled, mouth parting in a circle as he clenched down on Steve’s fingers deep inside him. Every time Steve brushed against that one spot, it was like lightning going through his veins. It had been so long since someone other than himself had been inside him, he forgot how good it felt.

“So you want me to fuck you? Do you miss me playing with you like this?” Steve asked, his other hand moving to get more of the grease to stroke his own cock as he stretched and wiggled his fingers to keep him ready for it. “Fuck, Bucky, you feel so much tighter than I remember.”

“Y-yeah…I just…” Bucky looked up at Tony, licking his lips as his wide eyes searched the other man’s face for a moment. “…can I suck your dick while he fucks me?”

“Are you seriously asking me that?” Tony burst out laughing, grinning from ear to ear. “Yes, you may always do that to me unless we’re out in public or something, and even then, it’s probably going to be a yes.”

“Just as long as it’s a yes now, I’m hap-ohhh…” Bucky whimpered, Steve’s expert digits exploring deep within him, hitting gold with every twitch. “I just want to do something for you both, I want to make you both feel good. I don’t think I’d feel like a good husband if I didn’t.”

“We can’t have him thinking he’s a bad husband,” Tony shrugged, trying not to laugh as he moved closer to Bucky, already breathing harder in anticipation. “Steve, flip him onto his hand and knees, let’s tackle this with a better position.”

“Sounds good to me. Buck, let’s roll you over,” Steve pulled his fingers free from Bucky, much to both of their dismay, and gave Bucky’s hip a slap. Watching him intently as he rolled over, Steve bent down to bite his left ass cheek before pressing a kiss against it. “Gods, I love looking at your ass like this, you’re wide open and ready for me.”

“That’s just how I want to be,” Bucky breathed, looking up at Tony as he positioned himself in front of him. Licking his lips, he pressed a delicate kiss to the tip of Tony’s cock as he looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. 

“You fucking tease,” Tony moaned, looking down at him, and breathing hard. He hadn’t expected Bucky to be so bold and playful in bed, and he was enjoying the prospect at more of this behaviour. “Does he do this with you too, Steve?” 

“Always,” Steve brought his hand down hard on Bucky’s ass cheek, leaving a reddened print behind. “He’s always liked pushing me, I think because he thinks I’ll fuck him harder if he pisses me off a bit.” 

“And? Do you?” Tony asked with a grin, reaching down to stroke Bucky’s cheek as the younger man slid the length of Tony’s cock into his mouth. “Fuck, your pretty mouth is good for more than singing.” 

“It is…” Steve’s fingers found their way inside Bucky again, but he was pretty sure that his husband didn’t need more stretching out. It was still fun to play with him though, and to have him leaning back into his hand in desperation for more. “Bucky, I don’t know if I should keep teasing you or not, it’s so fucking hard not to just take you now. But it’s so much fun to watch you squirm.” 

“I’ll squirm even more if you hurry up and fuck me,” Bucky said impatiently as he drew his mouth back from Tony to speak for a moment before slipping his saliva slicked dick back past his lips. 

“I’d do it if I were you…” panted Tony as Bucky’s expert tongue weaved it’s way around the tip of his cock, teasing his slit. “How the fuck did you get so good at that?”

“Steve let me practice on him a lot,” Bucky purred as he pulled back again, licking a stripe up the side of his dick, pressing another kiss to it. “He’s the only one I’ve been with though, so you can thank him telling me what felt best.”

“Steve, thank you, I owe you a castle or something,” babbled Tony as the hot, wet suction returned, laughing a little as he felt like he was going to melt into the bed. He’d had many mouths on him over the years, and he just happened to have married the hands down champion at giving head. He’d never felt luckier in his life. 

“Noted,” Steve said as he drew his fingers back, teasing the rim of Bucky’s ass a little before taking his hand away. Inching closer on his knees, his hands gripped Bucky’s hips for a moment, just looking down at the familiar view that had only gotten better in the last few years. Taking his cock in his hand, he gave it a few strokes, making sure it was still slick with the lotion from the jar. Positioning the tip of his erection against the tight ring of Bucky’s ass, he let out a long breath as he slowly sunk into him. 

“Fuck…” Bucky moaned around Tony, dropping from his hand to his elbow on the bed so he could stroke what he wasn’t sucking on. He missed this so much, feeling full up, having Steve sinking deep into him as well as having a cock to suck on at the same time. This was new, and he was going to request that it be something the do a lot. 

“That is a truly gorgeous sight…” Tony wished he could paint this, he wanted to remember it forever. Watching Steve grip hard onto Bucky and pull him back into each thrust was intoxicating, and the perfect view as he got his dick sucked. “I love watching you two. I can’t wait to fuck your both myself, but right now…I’m where I want to be.” 

“I remember him sucking on me, I don’t blame you,” Steve panted as he picked up his pace, letting out a gasp as Bucky got impossibly tight for a moment. “He loves cock, I don’t know how he lasted without me. When we were together, we were fucking twice a day most days. When we could, anyway.” 

“Gods damn…” Tony closed his eyes and let his head fall back, sweat beading out his brow as he tried to breathe evenly. Nothing was working, however, and he didn’t want to stop the cause of his irregular breathing. Not yet anyway.

Bucky looked up at Tony again, swirling his tongue around him, sucking hungrily as he tried his best to push the man close to the edge, though not quite over it. He wanted tonight to last longer than that. Having Steve fucking him again just made him want more, it awoke the thirst inside him he’d ignored for so long. He didn’t know how he lasted years without having another man touch him, but now he knew he was quickly going to get used to having two. Squeezing down around Steve, he pushed back so he was flush against him, needing to feel him buried deep.

“I can’t…oh gods…” Steve groaned as a shiver ran up his spine, his hips jolting out of rhythm as Bucky bared down on him. He didn’t know how much longer he was going to be able to last if his partner kept doing tricks like that. 

“Would it help if I fucked you while you fucked him?” Tony asked, noticing Steve getting out of breath fast, his face flushed bright red as sweat weighed down his hair. “I mean, I know I can always get my cock sucked again, right Bucky? You seem pretty eager, I’m going to guess you like doing it.”

“Fuck yeah,” Bucky said as he pulled back, pressing another kiss to Tony’s cock before he switched from his elbow back to his hand propping him up. “Steve’s never been fucked, be careful, okay?”

“I’ll be nice and gentle,” Tony grinned as he moved behind Steve, reaching for the glass jar he’d left on the bed, picking it up, and removing the lid. “I guess I should ask if you’re okay with this before I do anything, Steve.” 

“I’m okay with it, just a bit nervous,” Steve’s hips slowed, though they didn’t stop, his heart skipping a beat in his chest as he watched Tony scoop some of the white stuff on his fingers. “Bucky says it doesn’t hurt, and for how much he loves it, I’m going to believe him.”

“Just relax, okay? Relax and trust Tony and you’ll be just fine,” Bucky piped up, wanting to help as much as he could as Steve continued to thrust into him. “If I can do it, you can do it.”

“He’s right. Relax and trust me,” Tony said as he lined up behind Steve, nudging his knees apart a little, and reaching his fingers down to rub up against the tight ring of muscle. “It’s okay, relax more than that, just push out against my fingers.” 

“Okay…” Taking a deep breath, Steve slid further into Bucky as he tried to concentrate on where Tony’s fingers were pressed against him. Willing himself to relax, he let out a little gasp as he felt one of Tony’s digits open him up, quickly followed by a second one. Closing his eyes, he pushed back against them, feeling them slide further within him. “Ohhhh…”

“You like that?” Tony asked, slowly moving his fingers deeper within Steve, wiggling them experimentally as he drew them out a little, only to push them back in. “How’s that, Steve? Think you can get used to this?” 

“I think so…” Steve whimpered, his cock twitching inside Bucky as he felt Tony’s fingers hit that spot inside him that Bucky had told him about. Letting out a sharp cry, he gripped Bucky’s hips harder, his fingers turning his skin red. “Have you done this before? Sex with two people?”

“Hell yes, I’m the King,” Tony laughed, adding a third finger to Steve’s entrance, parting them to stretch him further. “I’ve done a lot of decadent stuff in my lifetime, but please believe me, being here with both of you right now is the highlight of my entire life.”

“Good to know,” Bucky shivered, pulling a pillow closer and burying his face against it, enjoying every moment of having Steve inside him again.

“You ready, Steve?” Tony queried, getting closer to Steve, putting his hand on the other man’s back, bending him over a little. “Are you sure you’re good with this?” 

“I’m sure,” Steve let Tony guide him into position, finally stilling his hips as he waited for Tony to enter him, knowing he could continue then. “Bucky, do you want me to do anything different? Are things good?” 

“They’re good, now concentrate on you, you can worry about me afterwards,” Bucky grinned, pushing back into Steve so they were as close as they could be for the moment. “You’re going to love this.”

“I hope so, I hop-ohhh!” Steve gasped loudly as Tony pushed the head of his cock inside him, his nails digging into Bucky’s flesh as he felt him inching inside him. He was completely trapped between his two husbands, Tony pressed up flush against him behind with his body tight against Bucky. “Oh gods above, I can’t even think…”

“You’re not supposed to think,” Tony growled playfully as he began to thrust into Steve, wrapping his arms around him to run up and down his muscular frame. “You’re just supposed to feel.” 

“I feel…I feel…” Steve’s lips were parted, breathing heavily as he was pushed into Bucky’s tight body, making a strained noise as he felt like his cock was being milked as Tony was fucking him hard. He felt like every nerve in his body was singing, he wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. The intensity just kept growing, and he didn’t know how much longer he could last. 

“Fuck me hard…Stevie, come on, fucking give it to me,” Bucky begged greedily, rocking into each thrust, his cock dripping as it bounced against his stomach. “I want you to finish in me so bad, I’ve missed your cum in my ass.” 

“You’re going to get it…you’re going to get it, Buck…” Steve’s voice was getting louder and more desperate, the sound of skin slapping filling the air alone with his cries. The bed was creaking louder and louder between the three of them, the sheets torn from the bed as Bucky clawed at the mattress. Steve didn’t know how much he could take, he hadn’t done this in years, and this was so much more intense than he was used to. 

“Give it to him, give it to him, Steve, you’re doing so fucking good,” Tony guided him, raking his nails up Steve’s thighs and around to his lower stomach. “You’re going to fill Bucky up, and you’re going to scream when you do it. You’re going to cum so hard, you’re not going to be able to move, you’re-“

“FUCK!” Steve cried out, his hips jerking hard as he felt himself finish deep inside Bucky, his vision swimming with spots of colour as he felt the waves of his orgasm slamming against his brain, echoing through his body. When it finally began to wane, he began to go limp, panting hard as he leaned back against Tony. 

“I think we killed him,” Tony laughed as he slowly withdrew from Steve’s body, helping him to flop to the side so he could recover. He wasn’t done yet, though, and neither was Bucky, and staring at Bucky’s ass presented in the air, he knew exactly what he wanted. “Bucky, you good to keep going?” 

“Very good,” Bucky grinned from ear to ear, looking over at Steve and blowing him a kiss. “I’m going to be full of both of you, I’m going to sleep well tonight.”  
“So am I,” Tony said as he grabbed a hold of Bucky’s hip with one hand and his cock in the other, positioning it up to the younger man’s ass. “I’ve been wanting to do this since I saw you both, I swear.” Pushing inside Bucky, he ran his hands down his back and under his body to stroke his leaking erection in time with his thrusts. 

“Tony…Tony, I fucking love you…” Bucky moaned loudly, not caring if they were overheard by the guards in the hall. As far as he was concerned, they were going to have to get used to that noise from them. He was already so sensitive from Steve fucking him, the second Tony entered him, he felt like each thrust was like a strike of lightning. 

“I love you too, Buck, you’re so fucking tight. How did I get so fucking lucky to have two fucking amazing lovers? You’re both so…fuck, I could get drunk off you,” Tony pressed his face against Bucky’s back, licking a line up his spine, tasting the essence of Bucky mixed with sweat. Pounding into him, he felt his own orgasm approaching, but he wasn’t going to slow down. 

“I’m going to…” cried Bucky, biting down on the pillow as Tony fucked him as hard as he could, his body trembling as he felt himself slowly being pushed towards the edge. Then, just as he could feel his orgasm starting to bloom, it hit him like a thousand pounds all at once. Screaming into the down pillow, Bucky came hard into Tony’s hand as the other man finished inside him with a shout. 

“F-fuck…” Tony flopped down on the other side of Bucky, staring upwards at the painted ceiling, his entire body covered in sweat and trembling. He’d never climaxed like that before, he didn’t think it was possible for his vision to actually go black while he came, but he supposed he’d learned something that night. 

“I can’t move…” Bucky mumbled through the pillow, not budging except for breathing. He didn’t think he was going to be able to for a few more hours, at least. 

“We’re going to have so much fun together,” Steve sighed happily, watching the two of them as he lay blissed out on endorphins and love. 

“You think?” Tony laughed once he caught his breath, shaking his head as he threw an arm around Bucky. “This was amazing, this was…I mean, do we ever need to leave this bed?”

“I don’t think so,” Bucky yawned, eyes closed and ready to pass out. “I love you both.”

“Bucky and Tony, I love you. And it’s settled then, we’re going to stay here together, forever,” Steve said, getting a blanket to pull over the three of them, wrapping his arm over Bucky too. Looking over him to Tony, he smiled widely as their eyes met in the light of fire place, their fingers touching as they splayed out their hands on Bucky’s back. 

“I love you two. More than anything else in my life,” Tony whispered, smiling back as he basked in this moment, his heart singing inside his chest. “I’m glad I have you.”


	17. One Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve, Tony, and Bucky celebrate their first anniversary together.

“I didn’t think we’d ever settle that land squabble. Good work, Buck,” Steve said as they walked from the throne room back towards their bedroom suite, eager to take a break and spend some time with his husbands. It wasn’t quite the first anniversary they’d planned, they’d had to spend the morning working on an issue between two farmers two from the day before. It seemed to be resolved for now, though, and they could enjoy themselves. 

“As long as it’s over, I’m happy,” Bucky took off the chain from around his neck as they walked into their sitting room, setting it down on a table. “I say we spend the rest of the night in here. Just ask for some food and drink to be brought up.” 

“Works for me,” Tony chuckled as he looked over at the cabinet in the corner, hoping his surprise was still in there. “Well, shall we get comfortable before we begin to celebrate?” 

“Yes,” Bucky said, going in their shared room to wait for one of the others to help him get out of his clothes. He preferred to have Steve or Tony do it rather than Jarvis, it just made more sense to him to let his husbands help. 

“I definitely need something to eat, I’m starving,” Walking over to Bucky, Steve began to undo the ties on his clothes, working the man out of his fancy clothes. “There you go, how’s that?”

“Perfect,” Bucky gave Steve a kiss, going to put some loose trousers on, not bothering with a shirt or shoes. It was just the three of them, after all. “Tony, you need a hand?”

“I got it,” it was Tony’s turn to undo Steve’s clothing next, then tending to his own. “You two want to do our gift exchange right away? I’m kind of excited, sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” said Steve as he cleared away their clothing, hanging it up as best he could before putting on some more casual wear. “And we can, just have a whiskey, maybe something sweet to eat. I’d like to just have some time with you.”

“And so you shall,” Tony slipped a shirt over his head, tying the top loosely before slipping some pants on. “I’ll go have a guard get us some treats, you two just make yourselves comfortable.” 

Watching Tony leave, Bucky got up and moved over to Steve, wrapping an arm around his waist as he rested his cheek on the other man’s shoulder. Closing his eyes, he let the pressure of the day wash away from him, replacing tension with love. He needed this, things had been busy lately, they hadn’t had much time together. He was glad they were at least going to have this special day together. 

“How you holding up, Buck?” Steve asked, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. “You’re so good at this, I can’t believe what a diplomat you can be. I’d never thought you had it in you, and I’m proud of you. I should probably say that more.”

“It means a lot to just hear it now,” Bucky smiled warmly, breathing Steve in as he relaxed against him. “I love you so much, you know that, right? I don’t think I can say that enough. I am very much looking forward to being between you two tonight.”

“Oh? Under which circumstances?” Steve laughed, grinning more when he heard Bucky chuckling himself. 

“Shut up, you know what I mean,” Bucky blushed, biting his bottom lip as he hugged Steve closer. “Well, now that you bring it up, I definitely mean both.” 

“Maybe we’ll try to both fuck you at once, you liked that,” Steve offered, knowing that Tony loved when they did that too. He pretty much loved any way they had sex, and Steve had to agree with that. Their love life was incredibly passionate and fun, and it only seemed to grow as time passed.

“Mmm, don’t tempt me to drag you to bed now,” Bucky purred, nuzzling Steve’s neck where it met his collarbone. “I want all of both of your attention all the time, so it would be safe to say that I wouldn’t mind taking you both at once yet again.”

“Are you sure it’s not a chore?” Steve teased, laughing when Bucky raised his head to give him a look. “I mean, we can just read tonight. Maybe have Tony tell us a story abou-mmph!”

Bucky had taken that moment to press his lips against Steve’s, silencing him with a tender kiss. As the two men stood together in an embrace, they were both oblivious to Tony walking back into the room. Up until he came to wrap his arms around both of them, giving them a hug. 

“Food’s coming,” Tony said once their kiss had broken, watching them both with a wide grin. “I love seeing you two kiss, I love watching you two do pretty much anything really. But we have a whole day for that.” 

“I already told Bucky we’d both fuck him later at the same time,” Steve grinned, reaching down to give Bucky’s ass a squeeze before putting his hand against the small of his back. “I mean, unless you had other plans in mind.”

“No, that’s perfect,” Tony laughed, rubbing both of their shoulders before giving them each a kiss on the cheek. “That is…wow, I couldn’t have come up with a better option myself. You’re a genius, Steve.” 

“I do what I can,” Steve chuckled, blushing himself. “I mean, we can do that now, but…I kind of want something to eat first so I have some energy. I feel like I’d be terrible right now.” 

“You’re right, we need food,” said Tony as he let go of his husbands and walked back into the sitting room. Picking up a mostly empty bottle of whiskey, he poured three glasses and set them down around everyone’s usual spots before sitting down himself. “Come on, whiskey time, then I think we can do our presents.” 

“You’re so eager for that, I’m still worried mine is going to be terrible,” Bucky sighed as he walked into the sitting room, going over to the green loveseat he preferred to recline in. Picking up his drink, he took a sip, and put his feet up. 

“Nothing you do is terrible,” Steve sat down in his armchair, lifting his glass to his lips. “I think we’ve all established that you’re incredibly wonderful and brilliant all the time.”

“You are, and you can’t argue against both of us,” Tony stepped in, lying down on his couch, pointing over at Bucky. “What have I told you about arguing against us when it comes to the subject of your greatness?” 

“I swear, you two drive me insane,” Bucky shook his head, not even trying to push it any more than that. He knew when he was beaten, and he honestly didn’t mind losing to those two. “You’re lucky I love you both so much.” 

“You’re right, we are,” Steve agreed, taking a sip of whiskey, though he didn’t quite love it as much as Tony or Bucky did. He still had a taste for ale, though he was glad he could get better quality than the swill he used to drink. “We should take that trip to Wakanda that we’ve been tossing around, it would be nice to see a new place and meet new people.” 

“Yes we should, I really want to get a better look at their technology there,” Tony perked up, immediately for this suggestion, mostly because he was the one that originally made it. “I want to see vibranium up close.” 

“We’d be going there as royalty and you’d just want to play the whole time,” laughed Bucky, setting his empty glass down, curling up comfortably as he always did. “I think it’ll be fun, though you know Natasha and Mom will want to come too.” 

“Oh let them, they want to get out of the castle too,” Tony was already picturing the procession now, he was going to have to get his best carriage oiled and shined. They had to make some sort of an entrance, though he didn’t want to waste too much money on it. Their best clothes and carriage would have to do.

“Mention it to Pepper tomorrow, she can send the right letter to the right place,” Steve looked over at the other two, starting to get nervous about his present. He’d spent weeks on it, but it still didn’t seem like enough, especially after finding out what Tony’s was. 

“Sounds like a plan,” Bucky said, excited about going to the great kingdom of Wakanda with both his husbands and the rest of his family. Less excited about his gift to the other two, really doubting himself at the moment. “Okay, about these presents-“

“I go last,” Tony piped up immediately. 

“Second last!” Bucky blurted before Steve could lower the glass of whiskey from his lips. “Sorry, Steve, looks like you’re first.” 

“That was hardly fair, I was drinking,” Steve frowned, though he wasn’t as disappointed as he made out. In reality, he kind of saw it as getting it done and over with fast, and then he could move on from being nervous to being something else. “Fine, I go first.” 

“Good man, thank you,” Tony raised a glass to him before reaching behind him to get the bottle from the table behind him. Looking at it for a moment, he shrugged a bit and put it back, deciding to wait on the wine instead. 

“Now?” asked Steve, raising his eyebrows as he looked back and forth between them. “I mean, I can go now, but…”

“I’m already going out of my mind. If you don’t go now, my head is going to explode,” Tony tried to sound serious, but his voice broke as he used his hands to mime his head exploding in a ball of fire. “Steve, save me, Steve…” 

“Considering you’re the oldest here, you don’t act it,” Steve had to laugh at Tony’s dramatics, rolling his eyes as he got to his feet and walked over to a bookcase in the corner. Reaching behind it, he pulled out a covered picture frame about waist height on him, carrying it over. “So I made a painting for you both, it’s my first large portrait I’ve done, and…I had to do it from memory, obviously, but…” 

“Steve, it’s okay, let’s see it,” Bucky encouraged, smiling up at him with shining blue eyes. “I already know it’s going to be beautiful.” 

“I hope I don’t disappoint you then,” Steve said as he lifted the red velvet cloth away to reveal a gold framed painting of the three of them in their more casual clothes. Captured in paint, Tony held one of his machines in one hand, his other arm around Steve, who had his arm around Tony on one side and Bucky on the other. In Bucky’s arm was a small black and white miniature goat, a favourite of his named Bess. The background was split between a pear tree with ripe, bright fruit hanging from its branches, and a wild rose bush. 

“Steve..” Tony got up from his couch, kneeling down in front of the painting to study all the little details Steve had included within it. “Did you…is that my mechanical horse?” 

“It’s the first one you showed me,” Steve let out the breath he’d been holding in, delighted with the reaction from both Tony and Bucky, who hadn’t stopped staring at it since he uncovered it. “I wanted to include little things about us in there. Like how Bucky and I first kissed under a pear tree.” 

“It’s stunning,” Bucky said after a moment of stunned silence, shaking his head. “You even got the spot on Bess’s head right. It’s perfect, it’s…it’s being hung in here, right? I want to look at this a lot.”

“In here is perfect, we’ll get rid of one of the others, they’re mostly just nature anyway,” Tony looked around, trying to think where the picture would get a lot of light and focus. Pointing at an old painting of a bowl of apples next to a vessel of wine, he turned to the others. “What do you think about here?” 

“That would be great, are you sure?” Steve hadn’t really thought about where to hang it, but he was pleased that Tony wanted to showcase it in such a good spot. 

“Very sure, it’s going here as soon as I get a ladder,” Tony said, looking around the room to find something, grabbing a chair and bringing it over to the wall. Stepping up on it, he took down the old painting off the wall, kneeling down to drop it to the floor. “Steve, bring that over.” 

“I’m so glad you like it,” grinned Steve, happily carrying his work of art over to Tony, passing it up to him on the chair and watching as he hung it up. “Little to the left, little…perfect. Right there.” 

“I have no idea how I’m supposed to go after that, I should have went first,” Bucky bemoaned, looking up at the amazing picture Steve had painted, in awe that his husband was so talented. “That is seriously amazing, Steve, I love it.”

“I know whatever you have is amazing, so stop it,” Steve walked back over to his chair, taking a seat and crossing his legs at his ankles. “I was stressed out too, didn’t you see me fidgeting over here before I showed you? It’s perfectly natural to be a bit nervous.”

“Just do it and get it over with so we can love what you’ve done,” Tony sprawled out on his couch again, rolling over so he could face Bucky better, blowing him a kiss. “We love you, Bucky, you could give us a box full of hay and we’ll probably love it.” 

“It’s not quite that bad,” Bucky said as he slowly got to his feet, his heart beating hard in his chest as his palms got sweaty. “It’s…I didn’t know what to get you both, I’m not good with gifts. I wanted it to be something that only I could get you, but I didn’t want to just spend a lot of gold, especially with Tony saying we should keep our spending down.” 

“Spit it out, honey, you’ve got yourself in a state and you’re babbling,” Tony sat up a bit, not sure if he was going to have to go hug it out of Bucky or not. “Take a deep breath and just say it.” 

“I wrote you a song,” Bucky blurted, immediately wincing a bit as he thought about what he’d just said. At least a painting could hang on a wall forever, he wasn’t sure what a song could do for them. “It’s nothing much.” 

“I disagree, I’m very interested,” Steve smiled as he sat up more in his chair, his eyes locked on Bucky as he waited to hear this song. “You’ve got a beautiful voice, I’m sure we’re going to love this.” 

“You do, I’m excited,” Tony agreed, sitting up on the couch and giving Bucky his undivided attention as he clasped his hands together. “Will you please sing it for us and absolutely make our day?” 

“Yeah, I can…” Bucky took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves so they didn’t affect his voice. Shaking his arm out, he tried to shed the last of his fear, looking skyward as he avoided his husbands eyes. With one last inhale, his voice his the first note, and it all fell into place. “Three hearts wove together in one strong braid, where I was once broken I am no longer afraid. The gods above have made us blessed, but it’s our love that’s passed the test. When I wake every morning I see you two, and I know every night our hearts are true. Together we are one, until time is done.” 

As Bucky’s song continued, he sang about their meeting, the attacks, and the drama leading up to their wedding. He sang about the year they’ve had since, their talks of adoption, their rule over the Iron Kingdom, and the love they shared along the way. By the time his last note trailed off, Bucky looked down at his husbands expecting to see their neutral expressions. What he hadn’t been prepared for was the tears streaming down their cheeks. 

“That was amazing,” Tony said as he began to clap, standing up to his feet as if he were at a professional performance. “That was beautiful, Bucky, how could you think it was any less than that? That was us in a song. You captured us.” 

“I agree to all of that,” Steve got up as well, clapping along with Tony, a big wide smile on his face as his eyes kept tearing up. Walking right up to Bucky, he put his arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug, turning his head to kiss Bucky’s cheek. “Do you have that written down anywhere?” 

“No, I just wrote it in my head,” Bucky smiled, hugging Steve back as the man kissed him. “I can write it down though, I won’t forget it or anything. Why, do you want a copy?” 

“Yeah, just to read when you aren’t here to sing it for me. You will sing that again, right?” asked Steve as he let go of Bucky to look him in the eyes. 

“Of course,” Bucky nodded, figuring he wouldn’t mind performing it in the future now that his initial jitters were gone. 

“Okay, my turn now,” Tony clapped his hands again, rubbing them together excitedly as he looked straight at Bucky. “I have a bit of a confession to make, though, and Steve already knows this, but my present isn’t for both of you. It’s just for you, Buck.” 

“Just for me? That’s not what we agreed on,” Bucky pointed out, but he couldn’t help developing a smile big enough to make his cheeks ache. He didn’t know what Tony had planned, but he couldn’t help but be excited for something special for him. “Is it for the goats?” 

“Not quite. Steve, his eyes,” Tony ordered as Steve covered Bucky’s eyes with his hands, watching to make sure the youngest man couldn’t see anything before he walked over to the corner. Picking up a wood box, he carried it over and placed it on his couch in front of Bucky. Opening it, he lifted his creation up, a brilliant work of wood, iron, and leather, and nodded at Steve to lift his hands away. 

“What i-“ Bucky started, but he was quickly silenced by his shock. In Tony’s arms was a leather harness attached to a wooden left arm, one perfectly sized for him, polished and shining in the sunlight streaming through the window. “T-Tony..it-it’s…” 

“You’ll attach it to your body with the harness, obviously,” Tony pointed out, smiling softly as he watched Bucky’s stunned expression. “If you use this lever attached to the arm here, your hand will open and close, and it’ll lock like that until you change it. You can lock the elbow too, so if you wanted to hold something in your hand, you can. It’s just an early model, the next one is going to be a lot better, but this should be good for now. You okay, Bucky?”

Bucky nodded, tears streaming down his face as he covered it, taking a moment to cry into his hands before he looked at Tony again. Not saying a word, he stepped forward to hug him tightly, clenching his eyes shut as he continued to weep. It wasn’t the same as having his arm back, but it was the closest thing he could ever hope for. It was the most thoughtful gift he could imagine. 

“Thank you…” Bucky whimpered as he slowly began to collect himself, reaching out to touch the arm, running his fingers down it. “Thank you so much, it’s beautiful, I love it so much.” 

“Come on then, try it on,” Steve said, assisting Tony as they carefully strapped the arm to Bucky’s body, making sure they didn’t do it up too tight or too loose. “How does that feel?” 

“It feels so weird…” Bucky had to laugh, not used to having something hanging off that shoulder any more, reaching to touch it with his flesh hand. “It’s amazing, I’m…can I look in the mirror?” 

“Of course,” Tony led Bucky over to the mirror himself, putting an arm around him as Bucky took in his image. “What do you think? Think we can get you a working arm one day?” 

“Maybe, I don’t know. Probably, you’re such a genius,” Bucky laughed again, wiping his eyes as he looked at Tony, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “Oh my god, I have two arms again. This it…sorry you didn’t get a present, Steve.”

“Are you kidding? Watching you now is one of the greatest gifts I could be given,” Steve walked over, touching Bucky’s wood hand, taking it in his own. “Seeing my Bucky happy is better than anything Tony could have built me.”

“It is, I tried,” Tony joked, kissing the back of Bucky’s ear as the three of them looked into the mirror together. “So this is us after a year of marriage, what do you think?” 

“I still can’t believe I’m a King, but I couldn’t picture my life without you two in it,” Bucky smiled as he looked down at his hand in Steve’s, reaching to take Tony’s with his other hand. “It’s been so surreal, I still can’t believe this is all happening, but we’ve really helped people. We’ve done a lot in not a lot of time, and I think we should be proud of ourselves for it.” 

“I think we should be too,” Steve looked at their reflection, seeing so much difference within himself from a year ago, but also in his husbands. Bucky was more confident now, and Tony had truly taken the role of King seriously after their wedding and the imprisoning of his uncle. The three of them were loved by their people, and by each other, and he couldn’t ask for anything more on their first anniversary.

“We have every reason to be happy with ourselves,” Tony was genuinely proud of both himself and husbands for everything they’d done together. There was so much ahead of them though, hardships that they would weather as a family, and triumphs that they’d celebrate together. There was one step in their lives that Tony was concentrating on now, though, and he couldn’t wait to take it with them. “Oh, did I tell you two that Pepper said she’d found the perfect baby for us to adopt?”

As Bucky and Steve spun to look at Tony with wide eyes, the older man smiled, his eyes twinkling. 

“Happy anniversary,” Tony grinned.


End file.
